Show Them How It Is Done
by thecapefangirl
Summary: Shuri has just been accepted in the Dames Institute of Sophisticated Noble Elegance of Youth (DISNEY). She and the other princesses soon learn that they have to stick together if they are to overcome the challenges in their way.
1. Prologue

_**This is taken place in a universe that Walt Disney Motion pictures studios does not exist, and the Disney characters live in the same world. Sorry for the short intro.**_

 _ **XXX**_

"No! I will not do it. Not for all of the technological resources in the world." Shuri said as she stomped to her desk, her face heating up.

"Sister, it is for the good of our country." T'Challa called after her.

She stopped, turned on her heel and put her hands on her hips. "How is joining an European club full of rich white woman complaining about chipped nails going to help Wakanda?"

The Dame Institute of Sophisticated Noble Elegance of Youth (or DISNEY for short) was a special exclusive club for royalty, or, to be more specific, princesses. Shuri was invited shortly after their country opened up their doors (or shield) to the rest of the world. A primitive form of a message was sent to them in the form of a letter, with elegant cursive writing that no one could read. In the end that had to get one of Shuri's gadgets for decoding secret messages to help them read it.

 _To Her Royal Highness, Princess Shuri of Wakanda_

 _Congratulations!_

 _We are pleased to invite you into our club, the Dames Institute of Sophisticated Noble Elegance of Youth._

 _We believe that your presence will be a welcome addition and hope you consider our request._

 _If you do/not want to join, please send this letter back with your answer._

 _Sincerely_

 _The Head Chairwoman, Queen Elsa of Arendelle_

 _Xxx_

When Shuri read the "congratulations!" she already decided that she would rather go up against three of W'Kabi's armoured rhinos with a broken spear made out only of wood than to dress up in long power pink dress and waving a fan around the place.

Her brother sighed. "We need to get along with the other countries, and this is a perfect opportunity. Especially since they are royals we can establish trading connections."

"I honestly don't believe that you want me to do this, brother. I understand the whole trade relations thing, but to make me become one of _them_." She shook her was no way on this planet that could change her mind.

T'Challa rested his hand on her shoulder. "Shuri, I am not asking you to change the way you look or how you act or who you are. I am not asking you to trade your lab clothes for an uncomfortable dress, but what I am asking is for you to help me and our country. Look at it this way; you are going to be representing Wakanda. You will be able to strut in there, as you do, and show them how it is to be a true princess. Show them that there is more to life than drinking coffee under umbrellas while servants run around them. You will be able to show them that we are not some poor third world country, but a highly advance technological society whose princess serves her people as an inventor and head scientist, not as a some girl whose main choice of the day is the colour of her dress." He turned her around and looked her in the eye. "Show them how it is done."

Shuri was silent, pondering on what he said. So maybe there was a way to change her mind. He did have a good point. She looked up and smiled at him while nodding.

"Yes, I will accept. But I am going it my way." She took the paper and crumpled it up and threw it behind her.

Her brother just laughed. "I would accept nothing less from you." He turned around and walked away. "Make me proud!"

Oh, she will, once she finds everything she needs to introduce herself properly.

XXX

The weekly DISNEY board meeting was in session in Belle's and Adam's Castle. Queen Elsa was sorting through the itinerary with the rest of the committee.

"So on Friday, we are agreed, that we will have a ball in honour of Ariel's and Prince Eric's soon-to-be-born child." She looked up and smiled at the red head. She was wearing her pink gown and a small bump was noticeable, "Congratulations again."

Ariel blushed. "Thank you."

"Onto the next topic: the stolen jewels of Agrabah..." Queen Elsa was cut off with a blaring noise.

The Committee all clutched their ears, blocking out the sound and looking at each other in panic when the screen on the wall turned on.

Instead of a black screen it showed a girl with dark skin wearing a beautiful white dress and her hair tied up intricately with white beads. Elsa immediately recognised her as Princess Shuri of Wakanda, the newest invitee of the club.

Shuri was squinting into the lens whispering to herself. "Is this on? Do you see me?"

The crowd was too busy being shocked to reply. Shuri could see them through the screen next to her.

"I take that as a yes." She walked back and cleared her throat. "Hello, I am Princess Shuri of Wakanda. I accept your invitation, and hope to see you soon. Is next week Monday good for you?"

Elsa cleared her throat. "Um, sure..."

Shuri smiled. "Oh that is brilliant! I will meet you where ever you are. I have the co-ordinates here so you do not have to worry about directions. Goodbye!"

The screen went black.

The Committee members turned to Else in unison. She was silent.

 _How the...did she... What just happened?_

"I do not know what happened," Mulan piped up in the silence. "But she has some serious style."


	2. The Palace of Arendelle

Shuri stood in front of the grand entrance of the Palace of Arendelle. Surrounding her were beautifully carved ice sculptures that refracted thousands of rainbows around the walls and the floors of the courtyard. She wondered what was keeping it in from melting, especially that time of year.

"Must be some permanent freezing agent," she muttered as she walked towards a sculpture of a ballet dancer, "or maybe it is internally frozen with a consistent flow of cool air..."

"Magic, actually." A cool voice said from behind her. Shuri gave a little squeal in surprise as she turned around.

In front of her was a woman with her hair plated into a fishtail. She held her head up regally; making her strong and confident. She had icy blue eyes that matched her flowing gown and silken cape. Beside her was a girl about her age with burnt orange hair and a purple cloak. She recognised them both instantly.

"Elsa and Anna!" She forced a huge smile "it is amazing to meet you both in person."

"Princess Shuri," Elsa said with a warm smile playing at her lips, "welcome. And welcome to your handmaids." She nodded towards five guards behind her who were holding some of her bags in their hand instead of spears.

"We are not her _servants!"_ One of them said with disbelief as she strode up to the queen. Shuri had to quickly hold out her hand to stop her.

"It is alright, Okoye" Shuri whispered. Then in a clear voice she said, "Elsa, these women are the Dora Milaje, the best warriors of Wakanda and currently my protectors on the journey to here."

Elsa froze for a second. "I do apologise, I didn't realise…it is just that most of the members have their own personal help and it is just that they are carrying your cases…"

Shuri snorted and crossed her arms. Why in Bast's name could she even have a need of a servant? She could not even start to think about how interfering they would be; always touching her equipment, getting in the way in her lab, probably using her secret experiments against her. Could you just imagine Shuri being taken care of someone a bit older than her? No, she thought not.

"Of course they are carrying my things! There is some delicate lab equipment in those cases and since you do not have any hover-boards, I will trust only my protectors to take them.."

Elsa was silent. Never in her life had she seen a child of her age with the same fiery sprit as one of her captains. Maybe Mulan, but nowadays she had seen less of battle than she has used to. Her daughter, Li Ming, took too much of her attention

"Excuse me." The guard called Okoye said. "We would like to get moving of this idle chatter out in the cold."

"I..." Else broke out of her train of thought and back into reality. She gave a gracious smile. "Of course."

She turned around and walked towards the entrance, but she was intercepted by one of the palace guards. He whispered in Elsa's ear; his face had an urgent expression to it. Elsa nodded and dismissed the man. She turned to Shuri.

"I am afraid that something important has been brought to my attention. I will have to leave you, but my sister will show you around. I will continue this discussion when the council convenes this afternoon." She bowed and hurried towards the entrance.

Anna looked like she was about to prance about the courtyard like a baby antelope. Shuri thought that this girl was one of those who fell in love at a drop of a hat and pretended that punch was actually alcoholic.

"Oh, my goodness gosh!" She squealed with delight; grabbing Shuri's arm. "I am so excited that you are here already! You see, we do not get many new members and it is always a joy when someone different comes along. Anyway I will take you to your room."

"Sure is I suppose," Shuri said as she tried to pry Anna's hand off her arm, but that girl had a tight grip.

They walked into the giant hall. Just like Wakanda, there was a mixture of tradition and the modern style. The walls were covered with portraits of previous kings and queens; landscapes of various areas, ranging from desolate frozen wasteland of Siberia to rolling green fields of an English countryside, filled in the spaces between. The floors were a polished marble, so shiny that she could see her own reflection in it. Silken drapes graced the walls; they were so long that three maids, all dressed in coarse brown dresses and white aprons, had to help pull it back.

But instead of the heavy mahogany doors that she was expecting, there were automatic ones at every entrance. Shuri noted that there were TV screens showing the news of about twenty different countries resided through one of the rooms with two men with earpieces were typing away at a keyboard.

They bobbed and weaved through many chattering people, servants and aristocracy alike. Anna pulled Shuri here and there; chatting about how some ball for one of the princesses went oh-so-wonderfully and how she should have seen the dancing mermaids, whatever that meant.

"…so what do you think?" Anna said loudly as they finally got to the elevator.

Shuri blinked. She had completely blanked out when Anna mentioned the word "ballroom".

"Sorry, what?" She asked as they waited for some of the richly dressed women to disembark it. They gave Shuri and her guards a disdainful look over. Okoye clenched the handle of the bag tightly, trying to not to say anything to jeopardise the mission T'Challa set her out to do.

Anna, who was completely obvious to the glares, giggled slightly. She squeezed Shuri's arm a bit tighter than was necessary.

"I was asking if, when they are done, they could go down and meet Mulan before they could go." She leaned into Shuri's ear and said in a confidential whisper. "You see, she has been so preoccupied with her daughter, Ming, that she doesn't have the energy to practice any fighting. This week Ming is at her grandparents, and I just know that she would love to get back into action. Could they join her after I show you to your room?"

Okoye's face betrayed no reaction to this request, but Shuri knew better. She knew how much Okoye and the others wanted to get back to Wakanda, but, on the other hand it was also a good opportunity to strengthen relations with China. And who knows? Mulan could learn a thing or two from them.

"Okoye!" Shuri said.

Okoye straightened up and hit her chest with her crossed arms, a sign of respect in Wakanda.

"After you placed my bags in my room, you will follow Anna to meet Mulan, understood?"

"Understood." Okoye said through gritted teeth.

The elevator went _ping_ then. They got out and walked down a long hallway with about thirteen doors, six on either side, and one right at the end.

"This is where all of the princesses and/or their husbands stay when they are here. That door," she pointed to the thirteenth room, "is currently a nursery, while a floor dedicated to one will be built soon. There are guestrooms two floors below and another hallway for those who are in our club but they are not royal members. My sister and any other visiting kings and queens sleep at the very top floor."

Anna brought up an old manual key once they got to the twelfth room. Shuri let out an internal groan. In a world with automatic doors, why did they still have these types of ones?

"Here is your room." She swung the door open.

It wasn't extremely large, rather cosy in fact. It had a writing desk facing the window on the furthest wall and a king-sized posted bed that was too pink adjacent to it. Opposite the bed were an en suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe (the latter she believed to be completely unnecessary).

"How do you like it?" Anna asked as the guards walked in and gentle placed the bags by the writing desk.

It looked comfortable enough but there was still something that bothered her: There was nowhere where she could continue her research.

"Is there anywhere I can work, like a lab?" Shuri asked abruptly.

"Uh…" Anna said, a bit caught off guard, "I suppose there is Belle's workshop in the basement? But she is quite protective of it and will only allow a few people into it."

Shuri was quite surprised at the answer. She had read up of Belle, Princess of a region in the north of France. She had read that she was a bookworm, but Shuri never thought that she actually was an inventor.

"Well I suppose that will have to do. When can I meet Belle?"

"Uh…she should be in the library now. She is teaching the some of the orphaned girls to read and write. It is on the fourth floor. You can't miss it. Anywho, I need to introduce your guards to Mulan." Anna gave her a big grin. "I am so glad you are here already!"

With that she walked out of the room with Okoye and her guards in tow.

XXX

 ** _Sorry for taking forever to get this out._**

 ** _Please tell me what you think._**


	3. Meeting in the Library

The library was enormous, with tall oaken shelves that stretched into the domed ceiling. Angelic cherubs with curly blond hair were painted on the fading pink and blue background. Stone pillars were decorated with intricate golden leaves, split the shelves apart in four sections. There was a staircase at the opposite end of the room that lead to the second floor.

Every shelf was full of books: old, new, material or paper, whatever type you could think of, it existed in that room.

Shuri had not held a proper book in her hand since she was a little girl. Her father in his spare time would bring out a few bulky, well-used books about legends and cultures. She loved learning about how different places perceived the same thing; whether it be how the different seasons came about, or how humans were created, they were all just as interesting. One day she hoped that she could meet the famed Thor and ask him just how much of the myths were facts.

She smiled at those happy memories: her mother singing some of the ancient songs from ever nation, T'Challa sometimes acting out the stories in the most dramatic fashion, W'Kabi sometimes came in and told her stories about him and her brother…

But those times were gone.

Her father had to go on more missions to get Klaus, her mother and her brother became more involved in the running the country and she drifted away from religious symbols and more into science and technology, which she learned incredibly quickly. Those books were replaced by tablets and micro-communicators. She couldn't even remember where they were at that moment.

She was snapped out of it when there was a commotion above her. There was shouting and stomping from a thousand little voices.

"Me, Ms Belle! Me please!" One said.

"…No I wanna read next!" Another whined.

"…I haven't read yet, Malika! You read yesterday!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

Loud clapping silenced the chattering.

"Quiet girls! You will all get a chance tomorrow." Her voice was soft and gentle and sounded like she had all the patience in the world. "Anya, since you asked so nicely, we will end off with you."

"Thank you, Ms Belle."

Shuri looked above her as she began to walk backwards across the room. She saw a girl with wine red hair who must have been Anya, get up and walk towards the bookshelves and away from her view.

Shuri ran up the stairs to the second floor, where she had a better view of them

There were six very young children, at least under eight years, all sitting cross-legged in a circle. Anya was standing next to a woman in a chair, with a big book that said "Fairytales for Children".

She was not at all as Shuri had imagined. Belle was not there when Shuri sent them her message the week before.

Belle had a very drawn, pale face; her cheekbones sticking out prominently on the side of her face. Her hair was a light brown that once must have been very thick and wavy, was now thin. Her eyes though, they were still a sparkling hazel colour.

Anya took a deep breath and began.

"Once...a-a-upon a time, the-re w-w-was a p-pa-pa-rine…"

"Princess, Anya."

"Princess, and her na-name was Lu-lu-luzeel…"

"Lucile." Belle looked up and caught Shuri's eye. She gave her a wide smile. She gently placed her hand on Anya, signalling for her to stop.

"Anya, stop for a moment, it seems that we have a guest."

All of the girls turned their heads at once to Shuri. She felt their curious eyes staring at her, like they were trying to deduce her whole life story.

Belle pushed herself out of the chair, with some difficulty Shuri noted, and made her way slowly to greet her. Shuri held out her hand and Belle clasped it weakly.

"Ahh, I heard of your arrival. The famed child scientist who made quite an entrance last week. It is always good to see a new face around here." She turned around to face her students. "Everyone, say hi to Princess Shuri. She is going to be staying with us for a few weeks."

"Hi Princess Shuri!" They all said in unison. Shuri gave a small awkward wave at them.

"What brings you to our group today?"

Shuri cleared her throat, "I actually just wanted to ask you something."

Belle just waved her hand as she led Shuri back to her chair. "Don't worry, you are not bothering us..."

"I never said I was..." Shuri was cut off.

"...we were just finishing off anyway. Anya was just reading us a story. Why don't you sit down and listen to her?"

Shuri was just about to protest, saying any excuse, like there was no space, or it was a quick question, but she was cut off from pleads of the children."

"Please Ms Princess Shuri!" A girl with unevenly chopped hair begged from the floor. "You can even sit next to me!" She scooted over and patted the space on the ground.

Shuri felt her heart warming. It was the first time she truly felt comfortable in the strange environment. It was weird to think it would be these sweet girls who helped her fit into this new world.

Enthusiastic chattering ran through group as Shuri walked to the spot and plonked next to the girl. the little girl who offered her spot drew towards her like a magnet and rested her head on her lap. Shuri was a bit shocked but found her it little comforting.

Belle gave Shuri a little smile of approval and turned to Anya, who began to read.

She stuttered her way through at first but found that she said the words more fluidly as she continued. While all of this went on, the other girls managed to find their way to her lap, one even falling asleep on her lap.

Anya finished her piece and Belle clapped with approval, waking up the other lethargic girls. They began to clap as Anya bowed down.

"Well done Anya! That was the best I have heard you read!"

Anya grinned shyly, but Shuri could see that she was feeling proud of herself.

"Maybe Ms Princess Shuri should tell us a story," Chopped-Haired Girl said.

There was an excited chorus of "pleases" that ran through the group. They clasped onto Shuri, desperately wringing her dress. Shuri had no idea how to respond to it. They looked like a bunch of those zombies from B-graded American movies she and T'Challa secretly watched all those years back. Luckily, Belle came to her rescue.

"I am sorry Eilanea, Ms Princess Shuri and I, are going to have a chat, maybe some other time." There was a collective groan from the girls, but Belle held her hand up to silence them, "but while we do that I think Mrs Potts has something special for you…"

"Yaaaay!" They all shouted as they scrambled on their feet. They fought their way past each other to see who could get to the elevator first.

Belle gave a chuckle that was interrupted by a hacking cough. She quickly pulled out a hanky to cover her mouth. Shuri noticed a little red through her fingers, and everything was being pieced together in her mind: the drawn face, thinning hair, coughing up blood; she has seen it happen once before.

"Excuse me." She said as she tucked the bloodied cloth away, "Now what is the honour of this visit?"

"I heard that you are an inventor."

Belle smiled, but it wasn't out of humour, but rather of remembrance. "Have you been speaking to Anna?"

"Well…I…" Shuri said but she was cut off.

"I thought so. She likes to think that I am still that eccentric, funny girl from Villeneuve full of ambition, and somehow married a cursed prince. I have moved on from that; let's just say that something happened that is making me concentrate my resources on the future of those children."

They both looked towards the door where the girls pushed their way into the elevator, all arguing on who would get to push the button. Shuri could give a guess why working long hours experimenting on elements would not work on her.

"May I ask why they are here? Surely they should be at school."

Belle shook her head. "I have heard about your country; a country where man and woman are equal, and treat each other with respect, but here, here we haven't progressed as quickly. The girl who stood up to read, Anya, she was abandoned by her parents because they wanted a son. Some of my girls suffer from disabilities, like blindness, or mental disorders that some mother out there could not handle. This girls are smart, but they were never given the opportunities you and I got."

Shuri let it sink in for a minute. She physically could not understand why they could not be accepted into the world. She started to understand that maybe there was a reason she was sent there. She could start a programme for these children or something.

"Anyway, that was off the topic. Why did you want to know if I was an inventor?"

"Well Anna told me that you had a workshop, and I would like to use it. My room is too small to be used as a makeshift lab…please"

Belle nodded and gave her a smile. "Of course you can! Follow me."

Shuri blinked in surprise. It was _that_ easy. No scientists would just give up their lab if they have some secretive invention in there.

"Well are you coming?" Belle was up and holding a walking stick that must have been concealed behind the chair.

"Yeah," Shuri said as she got up, "it is just that Anna told me that you were all secretive about it."

"Secretive…? Oh…" Belle said as it came to her. "Oh I just told her that because she has a romantic notion about what goes on behind those doors. She thinks that I am designing a great contraption that will save the world, like from those old sci-fi movies. I feel really bad to ruin her perception of me, so I let her imagination to run wild."

Shuri's mouth shaped into an "o".

"Come on. Let me show you the lab. I have a feeling that you will like it."

XXX

 _ **So I have decided to up the rating a little bit because of Belle and her backstory.**_

 _ **Please comment because I need advice on how to write Shuri better. I don't think I have quite captured her character.**_


	4. The Lab of Dreams

It took them ten minutes to reach the basement level. Shuri was expecting creepy, dusty, grey surroundings with chipped plaster and peeling paint. She was preparing herself for a jump-scare: probably a man with a chainsaw or a spirit of a man who died in the plaster or something. So she was pleasantly surprised when the elevator's door opened.

The hallway lit up, two lights at the time, to show colour splatted walls, like it was from that American artist who got millions from throwing a strip of paint onto the canvas. There were some figures dancing between the lines.

Belle gave a chuckle as Shuri's jaw dropped.

"It is beautiful."

"I told you that you would like it." Belle said.

Shuri felt the bumps of colourful paint on the wall. They were polished and smooth; it was actually pleasant to the touch. It reminded her of her old lab, with the cartoonish pop art decorated around it, breaking the electric blue of the swirling screens, the clinical white of the floors and the metallic grey of the mountain stone. It had a beautiful rustic feel it the place. She suddenly felt a bit homesick for Wakanda.

"I never liked the idea of the dank, depressing mad scientist lab," Belle continued as she admired the artwork, "so when I got here, I got Rapunzel to contribute her artistic skills to my room. And this is only half of it. Wait until you see the actual lab."

Shuri had to pull herself away from walls and followed Belle down the soft, amber floor to an oaken door. She noticed that with every step taken, Belle was breathing heavier and using the wall for extra support. She wondered how many of the others knew of Belle illness. To her it was pretty obvious, but then there was Anna who believed Belle was leading a secret life as a double agent. Else surely should know of this, right? If so, why hasn't anyone provided her medicine? There has to be something she can do…

"Shuri?" Belle broke her out her own her thoughts, "Are you here?"

She nodded. "Yes, right here."

"Could you please press this then?"

She pointed to a rose pointed next to the handle. It was red with falling petals. Shuri reached out to press the flower. It pushed back into the wall and an auditable click echoed throughout the hall. Belle then turned the doorknob and opened it to reveal the lab.

XXX

It was indescribable.

There was a tall glace column that held an aqua blue plasma of some sort. It emanated a soft glow throughout the room. The walls were certainly painted with black and blood red curls and swirls. Unlike the hallway, there were four dancing silhouettes encircling them.

At the end of the room there was another one that had shelves full of flasks of chemicals and some notes.

Scattered around were tables and tables of mountain high equipment. It wasn't as advanced as her old lab, but it wasn't lagging behind either. In her mind, she saw a wooden workshop with one power plug and a furnace, but nothing like this.

She felt like she was at home.

She ran her hands over the equipment, leaving a clear path through the thick dust. Sure she would need to do some cleaning, but it would be worth it.

"I hope that it is good enough." Belle said from behind her.

"This is perfect! It is wide enough, it has storage facilities…"

She was cut off by another bout of violent coughing. Shuri spun around to see her doubled over and holding an already bloodied cloth to her mouth. Her walking stick cluttered onto the floor.

"Belle!" Shuri shouted, sprinting to her just in time before Belle collapsed onto the floor. She steadied the French princess and helped her to a chair.

Once Belle finished her coughing fit, she looked up to Shuri with tired eyes. Her face was covered in a mixture of blood and sweat and she looked like she was about to faint.

"Holy Bast! How are you still alive? I should probably get some help…"

A weak grip stopped her from moving. "Please don't. You can't let anyone know, especially the servants."

"But why?" Shuri asked.

"Because they think that I have the flu, not lung cancer. I don't think I could bare the extra attention and pity."

"Is that it? You don't want people to care for you, so you would rather die?!" Shuri asked surprised and feeling a little bit angry.

"No, it is not like that. It is not _just_ that. Oh God," Belle said, shaking her head, "it is a long story. I shouldn't put you up to it."

"What? You can tell me. Please."

Belle looked into Shuri's eyes and sighed. There was something about this girl. It could be because that she reminds her of herself when she was that age: young, fierce, full of passion and life and more importantly, hope.

"Fine, but I need some rest. And anyway I do think you need to hear the council out before you talk to me. For the moment, though, help me to my room. I think that there is a wheelchair in this room. I always kept one just in case of an accident."

 _What is so important about this council meeting?!_ Shuri thought as she spotted a dusty wheelchair in the corner of the room, _Surely it is just an introduction to everyone? And why am I being treated like I am a goddess reincarnated? Not that I don't mind…_

She grabbed the chair and rolled it over to Belle. She did miss the hover stretchers; they made life so much easier for everyone. Belle gently forced herself up from the chair and plopped down onto the seat, leaning back with some relief.

"So how long have you had it?" Shuri could not help the question as she pushed Belle to the elevator. It seemed to slip out her mouth without a second thought. Surely she could answer that.

"For about a year now."

"Have you tried to cure it?" Shuri stopped to open up the elevator.

She bent her head down, probably to hide the tears rolling down her cheeks. "I would rather not talk about it, if it is fine with you."

It wasn't fine, because Shuri knew that if this was Wakanda, she would have been cured the second they found out. It annoyed her that the outside world didn't have the technology that she grew up with.

They were silent for a while as they went up the elevator. She could feel Belle's nerves shaking at the thought of someone entering the elevator and seeing her like this.

"You know," Shuri began again, hoping to keep her mind off anything and everything, "I could help you."

"Shuri, honey," her voice was tired, "I know you mean well and everything, but I have been through it all. I have had a thousand and one treatments and none of them have worked."

"If you come to Wakanda, we can help you." Shuri said desperately.

"Please don't put my hopes up, Shuri. You cannot fix everything."

Shuri felt like she hit one of T'Challa's suits one to many times. Anger filled her veins as she tried to keep calm. They _could_ heal everything, even death if you counted T'Challa falling off a cliff-face into an icy river. What did this woman know about Wakanda?

Shuri forced herself to see from Belle's perspective, like her brother did, but she did not have it in her. She knew she needed a few moments to rage by herself.

When the door opened on the resident floor, Shuri pushed Belle to the fifth room. On the door it said _Belle & Adam _with the rose emblem again. Belle opened up the door, her hand shaking with the key trying to enter the lock.

When she opened it up she got up from the chair and turned around.

"Look Shuri, I am sorry that I was so short with you earlier, but this past year has been difficult. I am tired, and I don't want to live my life in a whitewashed hospital room. If you still want to hear my story, knock on my door at eight tonight. If not," Belle shrugged her shoulders. "I shouldn't keep you much longer; you would probably want to settle in before the council meeting."

Shuri wanted to say that she was not going to live in a whitewashed room forever. She was going to stay there for a few days and that was it, but she kept her mouth shut and nodded. She turned away to her room feeling a prickle of tears in her eyes. She heard the soft click of the door shutting.

The sadness in the woman's eyes was got to her. There was certainly more to her story than just the illness. She has seen enough sick patients to know when there was a darker story to their lives.

That was when she swore that she would do what it takes to save Belle.


	5. The Story of the Genie and the Traveller

She knew it was Anna at the door before she heard the knock. It was the tinkling sound of her laughter ringing throughout the hall that gave her away. Shuri hung the last of her clothes into the cupboard and went to the door.

What she saw next was what she wasn't something she could ever predict.

Behind the glowing face of Anna, she saw the Dora Milaje grinning. She honestly didn't think that their mouths could stretch wider than a grimace. It actually frightened her a little bit the more she thought about it.

She stepped back to allow the group to enter the room.

 _3…2…1_

"Shuri!" Anna exclaimed just as Shuri reached one mentally. "We had the most wonderful-lest time. Mulan was a bit surprised at the sudden arrival of your guards, but it didn't take much persuading to get her to join us. I secretly believe that she had been practising because I have never seen her better. I must say though, she still had her work cut out for her. Your warriors are amazing!"

Okoye and the other guards were radiating from the compliment. Who knew that they would get attached to the Norwegian princess? But, she supposed, that they more glad at the new direction at exercise. Learning new skills would be invaluable to them; a new fighting style could go hand in hand with the new Wakanda.

"Oh my!" Anna continued, "you should have seen them move. One moment they were on the ground with their spears out and the next moment they were flying through the air like-like-like flying-fishes!"

"Is this true Okoye? Did you really swoop through the air like a flying-fish?" Shuri could not hold back the humour in her voice. Out of all the things that could describe the Dora Milaje, a flying-fish was not one of them.

All Okoye could do was glare at her before Anna took her breath to continue with more chatter.

"Anyway enough about our time. Did you manage to get Belle's workshop?"

"Um yeah," Shuri said with that feeling of pity filled her heart. She saw the eager look on Anna's face and realised why Belle kept her secret from the girl. Like Shuri, she had been through some hell. She has lost both her parents, her sister went into recluse, she nearly died…but unlike Shuri she was more sensitive to the world, purely because she wasn't exposed to it. "Yes she gave it to me after a lot of persuasion and begging. Which brings me to my next point," Shuri quickly said to change the topic. She spun around to the Dora Milaje, "if you can help me to take some stuff to the lab, you can go back to Wakanda."

Okoye gave the others a look before nodding. She turned around to Shuri and said, "We are going to stay for a bit longer. We have decided that there are some valuable methods that can be learnt."

Anna jumped around in excitement. "That's wonderful!" She clasped her hands, "Mulan will be happy to hear of it. We can give you our guestrooms for the now being. You are welcome to choose anyone you want. But for the movement of the equipment, you are going to have to wait because we are going to be very late for the council meeting." Anna looked at the manual watch on her wrist. "Oh goodness no! It is starting in five minutes! We better get going or else all of Elsa's fury will be unleashed upon us."

Without a second word, Anna pulled Shuri towards the elevator.

XXX

The boardroom was on the second floor of the palace. Shuri recognised it from the vid conference the week before.

It was nothing to shout about. Wooden doors opened up to a long table. At the head was Elsa; the remaining company sat along the side. There were three seats open: One for Shuri, one for Anna and, of course, one for Belle.

"You are late again, Anna." Elsa said.

"Yes, well, I got a bit distracted. Sorry." Anna walked over to a seat nearest to her sister. On the opposite side was the spare seat that Belle would have sat in. Shuri slipped between a girl with chopped brown hair and the brightest green eyes she had ever seen, and girl who had to have Cherokee heritage. They were, obviously from their bios, Rapunzel and Pocahontas. They both gave her a smile and a nod.

"Anyway, let's get down to business," she then hesitated, glaring at Mulan, who had opened her mouth as if she was about to speak. The glare said 'I swear to God if you even start, I will personally see to your execution.' Next to Shuri there was a stifled giggle from Rapunzel. "First of all before we begin the first item, we have a new member, Shuri, princess of Wakanda."

"I'm sure I have been introduced to everyone before. Maybe we can skip the formalities?" Shuri said.

Elsa cocked her head, her patience level slowly being depleted. "Quite so, then. Next item…"

"Where is Belle?" A princess with fiery unruly red hair said. Her accent was different from the others, Scottish, she thinks. Of course this is Merida, a girl after her own heart. Shuri would also turn her family into animals instead of getting married, but then again, her brother is basically a feline already so she was one step closer.

Elsa froze for a split second, before clearing her voice. "Belle is still taken ill, and is currently resting. She will not join us today."

The look in Elsa's eyes betrayed everything: she knew about Belle's secret. Elsa was no fool and very perceptive. She would have understood the most out of all of the people in the room about having a secret that would be dangerous for the world to find out.

There were groans and moans throughout the room. She caught a slight muttering from Rapunzel that sounded like, "there is no ways that a person could have flu for over two months."

It seemed that Belle's charade was slowly losing its guise.

There was a slam that gave Shuri a fright. Everyone in the room went dead silent.

"It is hard, but she needs as much rest as she possible can. So let's continue to the first point of order: the stolen Jewels of Agrabah," Elsa pointed her gaze at the Arabian princess. "Jasmine, please catch our newest attendee up on what is happening."

Jasmine stood up, and cleared her voice. "About two weeks ago, there was a robbery in my palace. I woke up when one of the soldiers screamed throughout the palace that the jewels are gone. Of course my husband and I got up as quickly as we could and ran towards the vault in the lowest floor. When we got there, we saw three bodies of our best soldiers lying on the floor. I am sorry to say that only one of them was still breathing. The vault was opened wide revealing our most treasured artefacts. At the end where the Jewels should lay were gone.

"Usually this wouldn't have bothered us; jewels go missing from the palace on a regular basis. But the problem comes in that these Jewels are magical…"

"Magical? Like what type of magic?" After extensive research into these people's bios she had come across some weird backstories. A castle guarded by an evil fairy-turned-dragon who put Aurora in a coma; a commoner turned princess by a fairy godmother who had the power to turn a pumpkin into a vehicle; a shadow man who used voodoo to turn a prince and a girl into frogs…the list goes on. She once only believed in the power of technology, but introduction into the outside world told her different. She even heard rumours of a wizard in America who could open portals to other dimensions, but she did not know how much of that was true. It somehow sounded too unlikely.

Jasmine, a little peeved at the interruption, answered her question nonetheless. "It is dangerous magic. Destroy the world in a heartbeat type if the wisher wants it so kind of magic. Each Jewel was from the different continents: the Ruby is from Asia, the Sapphire is from Europe, the Emerald is from South America, the Amethyst is from North America, and the Amber is from Africa."

"And what about Australasia?"

"It holds the Garnet Jewel. We haven't found it yet. Weird since it is the smallest area to search."

Shuri was sure this rang a bell. She had heard about stones like this before. She happened to overhear a conversation when Captain Rogers visits Sargent Barnes. They spoke about an android called Vision holding a soul stone or something. When she asked her brother, he just told her that it was something she should never repeat to anyone and she should just forget about it. She was surprised since that T'Challa would tell her everything, but she knew her brother, and she knew it was for a good reason so she left it. She would never forget the conversation though, and maybe it was a good thing that she didn't.

"So how did you get them in the first place?"

"Well," she sighed, "it is quite a story…"

XXX

You see, Jasmine began, it started way before Agrabah even existed. The land that I called home was a deserted wasteland filled of dangerous creatures. Out of all of these creatures the most powerful were the Jinn or Genies as we know them nowadays. Unlike now where they are slaves to humans, only being freed by the wisher, they were once seen as gods. They could grant boons to whoever summoned them. Most of the time they came at a price.

"The story goes is that there was a traveller who got lost in the desert. He was exhausted, dying of thirst and dizzy. He was close to death when a Genie spotted him in the desert. This Genie felt sorry for the man (he was one of the few pleasant ones) and went over to him. He gave him shelter from the beating sun and food and water to revive him.

The man was startled at first, scared that he would have to pay dearly for his saved life. The man begged to the Genie to let him die, instead of any other price he would have to pay.

"The only thing that I ask for is a fortnight companionship in my cave." The Genie said. You see, the Genie was lonely and it was very rarely did a traveller cross his path. "But you may not leave until the dawn of the last day."

The traveller was sceptical at first, but then accepted. Genies cannot break promises once made.

So the first of the two weeks began. The Genie would provide food and water to the traveller and in return the traveller would enthral the Genie with his adventures. He rested comfortably on satin sheets and feathered pillows. The man found that he enjoyed the Genie's company every day that went by.

On the last day at sunrise the traveller stood outside the cave in the first time. He was reluctant to go. Before he took a step out, he turned around and begged the Genie that he could stay. The Genie, relieved at the man's pleads for he himself wanted the company, but the same rules applied: The man was not allowed to leave the cave. The man accepted the offer, for he believed that he would not miss the sunlight.

During the years they had together, the Genie and the traveller fell in love. The Genie wanted to show his love for the man that he promised him that he would get him the most beautiful jewels from all over the earth. He said that if he could, he would give the traveller the whole world.

So the Genie goes on an adventure to find the sacred jewels, but it took him months to find them all. Meanwhile his love was getting lonelier and lonelier in the cave. He started to feel the cold and wished to feel the sun on his skin. He made his decision to go outside and feel the sunrays once more. Little did he know that the Genie came back that same day.

Once the light touched his skin he instantly burned to cinders. The Genie came back that moment to see the pile of ash on the floor. He mourned the loss of him for a week before he decided that he would take the jewels and place a mixture of his own soul and the man's ashes in them. He would place them back where they belonged in the world so he could truly say that he gave the world to the traveller.

XXX

 ** _All myths I have come up all by myself. And yes I know the Jewels is basically earth's version of the infinity stones, but anyway..._**


	6. An Unexpected Visitor

"Over a thousand years, the ancestors of Agrabrah searched high and low across the continents for these Jewels. Some were trying to put them together to summon the Genie and to use his power for their own reasons, because you angrier a genie is the more powerful they are…"

"Naturally." Shuri said, allowing a bit of sarcasm slip off of her tongue. Jasmine just ignored her comment.

"And some went searching for the Jewels to make sure of their safety away from the thieves. Others wanted to return the Jewels to the original cave where they could find peace forever. Whatever the reason is the five of the six Jewels reached our vaults. Now some person has stolen them and it is our job that they don't fall into the wrong hands."

Jasmine sat back down in her seat awaiting some sort of response from Shuri. And, oh boy, did she get a response.

"I have questions."

"Well we have told you as much as we know…" Jasmine replied.

Shuri shook her head. "No, not like that. It has more to do to with what you told me. Like how did your ancestors even find out about this story considering since the traveller and the Genie kept themselves to themselves and no-one knew they existed, and like, how did the Genie even separate his soul and scatter the Jewels across the world? Surely he would be dead and not been able to function. And what about the people who tried to return the Jewels back to the cave for them to find peace? Surely the whole point was for them to be with one in the earth? And what about…"

Jasmine pinched her nose and held out her hand to silence Shuri. "Look, this is what I have been told. I don't know how my ancestors found out about the Jewels, I don't know how they are made beside what the legend said, and I don't understand the thought process of some people. All I know is that there might be an apocalypse if we don't do something."

All eyes were on Shuri as the slow realisation hit her.

"Ohhhh, so that is why I am here! You want my help to find your Jewels." She crossed her arms and cocked her head.

"Well, yes we do." Elsa replied, knowing that there was no point sugar-coating it. "We need resources to help us find the thief. As you see we are all pretty traditional when it comes to technology. We only have simple things."

Shuri looked around the room at the large TV screen and the sliding doors that lead out into a hall filled with CCTV cameras and monitors.

"I wouldn't be too hard on yourself about your technology. It is pretty decent but there is still a long way to go."

An exasperated sigh came from Elsa. "That is not what we mean. We need more advance technology than we have to offer, and a famed scientist to help us understand it. So since your country has revealed to be more than a home of sheep farmers, we all made a unanimous decision to invite you into our club."

"Why didn't I get the full story when you sent the message?"

"That is because messages can be intercepted. We have no idea who this person is, or who they work for. We couldn't take the chance."

"Look." Mulan hastily cut in, "We understand if you feel like you have been used, but we are desperate and we have no idea where to go from here. We honestly need your help."

Shuri looked at them thoughtfully, adding a scowl. They all looked at each other with worried expressions, some of them thinking that they made a terrible mistake, while others worried that they annoyed one of the most powerful countries on Earth. Sure Shuri felt a bit sore at the thought that they didn't really want her as much as her resources, but mostly she felt pleased that this whole social visit was more than painting nails and gossiping about some American celebrity.

"I suppose," she began after a few minutes of awkward silence, "that at least you want me for my brains and not my beauty, though the latter is in great supply if needed."

There was a collective sound of relieved exhales. She really had some power over them.

"I am so glad that is dealt with then." Elsa said as she started to shuffle papers around. "Welcome on-board the DISNEY Club, Princess Shuri of Wakanda."

"It wasn't a hard choice really," Shuri said, "I also like living in this world and it would be a shame to see it blown up."

Elsa allowed a small smile tug at her lips with Shuri's response. _That really was a good one, I have to admit._ "I agree. Now that is sorted we can get onto the next topic: we have to organise a dinner for our newest member for tomorrow night."

 _The world is about to collapse but there is still time for food. I like these people._

XXX

Shuri hurried over to her room after the hell of a long meeting. Most of it, she felt, was unnecessary. Only right at the end after talk about another three planed balls Elsa told them to do more research on the Jewels of Agrabah. This, of course, was focused mainly on her. She nodded and made a mental list of the things that had to be done. Set up her lab, speak to Belle (she needed to know what was going on and if it related to this theft), get some food, eat some food, and then make a start on finding these Jewels. It was trying to find a needle in a haystack, but maybe there would be a way to find a magnet.

She opened her door, relieved to find that her things were still in place and the warriors gone. It was nice that for the first time in what felt like forever to not be surrounded by the buzzing chatter. Unfortunately it lasted for a few seconds when the door knocked.

She was expecting her protectors to be huddled in the hall, waiting for some direction on where to take the lab equipment, but it wasn't them.

It was a man in his late twenties. His hair was combed back into a low ponytail and tied with a blue ribbon. He was wearing a blue and golden suit that matched his stunning blue eyes. She knew that he was important, but where from? Which one was he?

"Sorry to interrupt you, Princess Shuri," he said, "but it is imperative to speak to you."

He pushed past her into her room. His stance said all was needed about his emotion. He was worried and nervous, and maybe even scared. Whatever it was, he could have spent a few minutes being polite.

"And who exactly are you?" Shuri asked bluntly. A frown crossed her face.

"Oh, of course!" He hit his forehead with his hand. "Sorry. I expected that you already knew me. I am Adam, a Prince of France, husband to Belle. He reached out a hand for her to shake. "How do you do."


	7. The Truth Comes Out

_**Some heavy stuff ahead. Just warning you.**_

 _ **XXX**_

Shuri just stared at his face. _Of course this is the famed brat-turned-beast-turned-back-to-a-not-bad-looking-man. His bio picture is different though. He had a haircut now. A serious haircut._

The actual story of him turning to a monster was quite a conundrum to her. In fact the whole story confused her a lot more than it should simply because there wasn't really a straight story. Some sources said that he was nine years old when he answered his own door to a scary stranger, and tried to follower the "don't talk to strangers" rule. Others said that he didn't age a single year. She was about to ask, but decided against it. He seemed too…jumpy to answer a simple question.

Adam awkwardly put his hand away and cleared his throat. "Well, anyway. I wish to talk to you about…"

"Belle, right…?" Shuri cut him off as she plopped on her bed. "You know, she is going to kill if she finds out you are discussing her health with me." It was not exactly a stab in the dark; there wasn't really any other reason that he would have come to her.

"Um," he rubbed the back of his neck, his face heating up, "well…"

"Look, Adam," Shuri sighed as she cut him off again, "I have a hell of a lot of work to get around to. I have to move all of my stuff to the lab," she gesticulated to the piles of bags cluttering her room, "so if you want to talk, there is a lot of things to shift down to the basement. If not, you are welcome to use that beautiful door on the left. You can't miss it."

Shuri pushed herself off the bed to the first bag in the corner of the room and picked it up. The technology itself was relatively light, but the materials to make them weighed about a million tons.

The dumbstruck look on Adam's face changed into a moment of realisation. He moved to Shuri and took the heavy bag out of her hands. Shuri smiled as she took a smaller bag next to her feet.

"Well let's get go then."

XXX

The two worked in silence only taking two trips down to the basement. After the last piece of equipment was linked up, Shuri realised that two hours had past. Belle would have been asleep by now, but not that that matters now, Adam was there with her, and from the contorted look on his face said that he was willing to divulge more information that Belle was ever going to. She wasn't even hungry anymore; curiosity overtook her mind.

"So, Adam," Shuri lifted herself onto the nearest table, "tell me everything. And don't think about skipping out on the grim stuff."

Adam sat on the table next to her. "Well it started at the beginning of last year. Belle and I had been living together happily for eight years. We had no qualms with anyone, and no one had anything against us. We both agreed it was about time to start a family.

"So we tried for a few months, but we came to no avail. So we spoke to our doctor, and…and she said…" a tear formed in his eye as he looked down to his twiddling thumbs.

"She said what." Shuri asked even though she knew exactly what he was about to say.

He took a deep breath in. "She said that Belle was not able to bear children. You could imagine how distraught we both felt, except it took a bit more out of her more than me. She closed herself off from everyone, even me and her father. I tried to speak to her, but it was like she blocked me out of her life. Over time her health weakened, her immune system was barely functioning.

"One night I woke up to a loud hacking cough from our bathroom. I rushed out of bed to find Belle bent over the toilet bowl, blood smeared around her mouth and almost unconscious. So I rushed her over to the hospital as quickly as I could. They told me that it was lung cancer, something that was difficult to treat. For the past months we had tried everything we could to get her healthy, but…well nothing is doing it. We have given hope." His tear finally fell down his cheek. He just rubbed it off without a second thought and continued.

"That was until you came into our lives. Is it true what Belle said, that you could actual heal her in Wakanda?"

Shuri nodded. "Yeah, I suppose, but it is a very delicate surgery, especially since this has gone for months. And we also have to get consent from the patient."

"I know," He said solemnly. "And she would have to be transported out without bringing any attention to ourselves."

"But why? That is what I don't get? Why do you make it such a big secret, even from your own friends? I mean, do they even know that she is unable to have children? And how do they even see that this is not the work of flu?"

Adam sighed getting off the table. "Something like this is dangerous to get out. You know that I said we were living in peace at the beginning of last year?"

"Yeah?" Shuri said as she sprung onto her feet and followed to Adam to the elevator.

"Well before that we were at war, per say, with a neighbouring kingdom, the dark and deadly Oliver clan. The only reason that they were sedated was because Belle scared the absolute heck out of them. She used a few tricks, a little illusion here and there, to make her look like she was actual a powerful enchantress. The only reason that they haven't attacked our region is that they believe that my wife is a strong immortal witch who could kill half of them in a click of her fingers. So if word got out that she was a human…"

"They would slaughter everyone in their way." Shuri ended his sentence as realisation hit her. No wonder she was so scared to even betray her emotion to Anna, or to any other of their friends. Even if she trusted them, a single word could be overheard by one of the maids. Or a spy for that matter.

"Exactly. Now with this business with the Jewels, and my own emotional state, I don't think we could fend off a whole bigger and more powerful kingdom."

They got to the elevator and pressed the button for the dormitories. They both were silent as they allowed the information to churn through their heads. Shuri understood Belle now. Why she was teaching those abandoned girls as if they were from her own family. Shuri knew for a fact that she could heal Belle, but on the matter on her being barren is a different matter altogether. If she could contact her best surgeons and see if they could go into research in reversing the problem. She should at least see if they could do something.

The lights on the elevator flashed one by one as they went up each level until they reached their floor. Doors slid open to the now familiar hallway. Adam walked to his room. Before he opened the door he turned to Shuri.

"Please do not tell anyone about this chat, even your scary warrior women." Shuri allowed a smile to tug at her lips. Okoye would be happy to hear that compliment. "Not even Belle. I will find the best time to convince that she should do it, but for now, I just helped you with your equipment. Ok?"

"Ok." She agreed as she turned on her heel to finally get some rest.


	8. Enter Player Two

_Food_

That was the first thing on Shuri's mind when she woke up from a restful night. Her stomach grumbled at the mental image of a heap of fried eggs and bacon, with at least ten slices of toast on the side.

But the bed was really warm and it was beginning to snow so…was it _really_ worth it to get out?

Luckily for her, a compromise knocked on the door.

"My lady, zee breakfast is ready. May I enter?" The disembodied voice from the other of the door called out. Her voice had a twinge of a French accent. Funny, if she thought about it, this was the first time she heard someone, beside Merida that is, who didn't have an American accent. Not even Belle had a French accent…she actual couldn't discern what accent she had it. British or American? Was it the posh American accent that almost sounded British?

 _Anyway…_

"Absolutely you may enter!" Shuri called out. The door opened to reveal a slim girl with skin so pale it looks like she could glow in the dark. Her uniform was one she had seen around the Palace, black with a white apron and a feather duster clipped to the belt of her dress as if it were a sword in a scabbard.

She wheeled in a trolley filled to the brim of sweet confectionaries, meat cuts, and a whole bunch of smaller things. There were at least three types of drink: hot chocolate, coffee and tea, all steaming and bringing a mixture of smells to her nose (all very pleasant).

"'Ere you go my lady, zee best Madame Potts can scrounge up." She pulled up the trolley up to Shuri. "She doesn't know what you like so she put a lettle bit of everything. She 'opes you like it."

She did like it. She liked it a lot. She grabbed a scone oozing of cream and jam. She took a bite and a burst of flavour filled her mouth. It was sweet, but it was balanced out with the savoury taste of the bacon bits imbedded in the bread.

"This is amazing!" Shuri exclaimed, crumbs falling down her chin.

"I know right." The maid grinned at her. "Madame Potts will be glad to 'ear that, my lady." She gave a low curtsy.

Shuri swallowed the last bit of the scone before saying. "As much as I love to hear that tittle, please just call me Shuri, um…"

"Plumette, my l… _Shuri_." Plumette corrected herself, giving another curtsy. "I am 'er Majesty's Belle of France's maidservant. She gave me a personal order to serve your maid as you do not 'ave one." She turned towards the curtains and flung them open. Shuri wince at the bright light reflecting from the snow that gently fell. "And yes, I do know of 'er condition, before you ask. I am zee only maid she trusts; you probably know we have been through a lot. I mean, she did save me from forever being a feather duster."

"That does bring people together." Shuri nodded.

"Exactly. Anyway, my jobs include simple things like cleaning up zee room, bringing food telling you when your meetings are…which reminds me, you 'ave a meeting 'alf an 'our." Plumette unhooked her feather duster calmly and dusted the wooden table.

"Wait, WHAT? Already?" Shuri moaned. "We had one yesterday."

"No this is a one-on-one meeting with a researcher from Atlantis. She is just like you in fact: a royal 'oo lives in a way more technologically advance country and at one point 'ad a bunch of white dudes trying to steal zee valuable resources and to take over the 'ole place; you two 'ave a lot to talk about."

Shuri threw off the covers and pushed out of her bed. "And here I thought it didn't exist." She thought back to the Greek myths she grew up. There were about a million different myths about the sunken island, but none of them had any real proof about the actual existence.

"Well, we are living in a world where 'ot Norse gods try to take over New York, and I mean seriously 'ot, and my best friend is a servant of Zeus." Plumette started to go through Shuri's cupboard to look for clothes for her, "And fyi, 'ee is not as nice as Hollywood makes 'im out to be. It is all a façade. Anyway an immortal girl from a submerged island should not be as ridiculous as it should sound."

Shuri was about to protest at the invasion of her wardrobe but was silenced by Plumette. "To think for many years just the thought of magic would 'ave made me laugh until my belly burst but since I am married to an ex-candelabra, I just shrug my shoulders and continue…ah 'ere!" She took out a skilfully woven skirt: patterned brown and green and sewn with thin fibres of gold. The top Plumette chose was a simple plain brown crop top that matched the skirt.

" _Magnifique_! This is the one! Go and get ready." She shoved the clothes into Shuri's arms and took the food tray away. "Also you may need a thick woollen-lined jacket."

"But I wasn't finished breakfast!" Shuri called out but Plumette was already gone.

XXX

"Well Kida, it is good to see you again." Elsa led the queen of Atlantis into her office.

To those who are not used to the Queen's taste in fashion and/or the cold would be terribly daunted by the sight of her office. The room was not at all dark or gloomy; rather, in fact, it was rather bright. Too bright in fact that Kida had to shield her eyes as she walked into the room.

The hanging icicles were the cause of the blinding light. They balanced precariously on the roof, as if threaten to fall down anytime if someone disagreed with the ruler of Arendelle. The air dropped from the heated corridor of 25 degrees to at least 8 degrees at the most. Elsa said that her room would not survive any other way.

Elsa sat in a huge velvet navy-blue chair at the end of the room, with a large oak desk to suite it. The only other seat was a small wooden chair on the opposite side of the table. When Kida sat down, the table barely came up to her neck.

"If you say so." Kida said coldly, matching the overall tone of the room. She leant back in her seat, pulling the thin wrap around her arms tighter.

Queen Elsa sighed, "Look, I know we have gotten off on the wrong foot before. We have had our fair share of fights but we need to move past that and look at the future. We are in desperate need of your help."

"Our help?" Kida snorted. "You need our help? Is that the only reason I have finally been accepted into your little club because you are in desperate need of my help? Well doesn't this sound familiar?"

"I know Kida…"

Kida cut her off. "I have news for you lady; we are not going to contribute to your little problem. I am tired of been played around for your own gain, on your own terms."

"Please listen to me, Kida! The world could potentially be used as a playground for a powerful genie. If you do not help us he could kill us all. That is including you."

"Still not my problem."

"How is this not your problem!?" Elsa flung her hands in the air, exasperated. "You live here! So maybe don't you think that your help may also save your own ass?"

"Look Elsa," her voice dripped with poison, "Atlantis has survived the apocalypse before. It killed my mother! And I am not going to be your puppet because one of your members made a stuff-up. I am sorry that the world may blow up around you, but don't make your problems mine."

"Kida…" Elsa's voice faltered.

Kida got up and stalked over to the door. She was angry. And to those who have heard her story also agree with her.

Kida and Atlantisians had decided to join the real world after a hundred years being discovered by Milo and the rest of his motley crew. They had been keeping tabs on "new" advancements of planet Earth (they all have discovered it before obviously). When aliens had started to return to the planet, they decided that it was time that they resurfaced. Well at least to certain people. Kida heard of DISNEY and tried to join. Every time she was shot down though. Elsa said it was because she did not have the enough wealth, or something to contribute to the world. She suggested maybe tourism would get enough attention, but Kida refused. She was more than happy to contribute her technology and techniques to help the planet, not to become a zoo for gawking wealthy white Americans.

Kida tried to bargain but Queen Elsa just said that the DISNEY club need to have members from famous countries. Ever since that day Kida went back to Atlantis, bitter and disappointed in how the world had turned into a money-grabbing, greedy world, desperate to find its next fix in advancement in technology.

Now here they are back, except tables have turned.

Kida was about to make one last snarky remark about maybe she should hold tours in the countryside, but she was interrupted by a knock on the door.

It opened by a young girl dressed in a thick patterned wrap. She looked no older than seventeen. From the look of it she must have been the other researcher from Wakanda that she heard about. Yup she knew all about Wakanda. She in fact visited back in the day when it was barely formed. Who knew how long ago that was?

"Ah, just in time Shuri. Please come in." Elsa's voice was quiet, but it echoed loudly across the room. "Kida please meet Shuri, Princess of Wakanda. Shuri this is Kida, Queen of Atlantis."

 _Ahhh, so I was right. I wonder if she also took this ridiculous offer._ Kida thought.

She cleared her throat, hoping that she was could get the clicks right. She was pretty rusty at it " _Ndiyavuya ukukwazi Shuri."_

Shuri gave her a surprised look. Out of all of the things that happened during that time, someone knowing her language was something that shocked her the most. And this was a time when people are stealing Jewels to maybe raise a Genie to take over a world.

 _"Uyazi ulwimi lwam?"_

"Yes," She reverted back into English. No matter how much she doesn't like Elsa, speaking to a person in a different language in front of another person was incredibly rude. Plus she had her little time to show-off. "Our tongue the root of most languages in the world, including Wakandian. It also helps that I have been there. Anyway, so I hear that you are specially chosen for this mission because you have the resources."

"Yeah, I suppose so." Shuri replied.

"So Queen Elsa," Kida turned around to her, crossing her arms. "Why didn't you accept her in the first place? Because she wasn't animated enough? Because she keeps the wrong company?"

"You are being ridiculous, Kida."

"I am not being ridiculous enough. Shuri, if you are as smart as I hear you are, take my advice: walk out that door and don't look back." Kida walked past her and through the door.

There was an awkward silence between Shuri and Elsa, before Shuri broke it.

"That went better than I thought." Elsa just glared at her. "Ok, ok. I will go after her." Shuri put her hands up defensively.

 _Why am I always the one who has to fix_ their _problems?_

 _XXX_

 ** _Hello Bokkies_**

 _ **The two sentences say "Nice to meet you Shuri" and "How do you know my language?"** **respectively** **(well I hope so. Google translate don't fail me now).**_

 ** _Also I know I made some really bad pokes at Disney, but Kida is one of my faves and how dare they skip her out o_** ** _f_** **_the princess pantheon._**

 ** _I also know that the timeline is also messed up compared to the real one, but it is meant to be like that._**

 ** _Love thecapefangirl._**


	9. Of Machines and Men

Kida was fast when she wanted to be. She was towards the end of the long hall when Shuri left the walk-in freezer.

"Kida!" she shouted. Kida just continued to walk, ignoring her. "Kida, at least talk to me."

She halted at the end and turned around. She put one hand on her hip and cocked her head. Shuri caught up to her, and before she could formulate words to try and convince Kida, the queen got ahead of her.

"Dear Shuri. You are making a big mistake working with them. In my opinion you began this mistake when you let your country join the rest of the world. They are selfish and greedy and…"

"And they are desperate, Kida." Shuri cut in. "And as much as I hate saying it, but I am with Nora Fries in there. She has a point." She threw her thumb towards the door. What? She liked to read superhero comics. She liked the total absurdity of the plot-lines and the characters. I mean, a man dressed as a bat, because reasons? At least dressing as a panther makes a semblance of sense. And anyway, they inspire some of her inventions. "The world is in danger and I am refusing to let it blow up around me."

"Give me one reason that I should help you?"

"Because we are the idiots who live here, that is why!" Shuri retorted. "It doesn't matter if you live in a shielded country with a pantheon of gods who love and adore you, if this man, or woman, or whatever they are, gets their hands on all of the jewels and summons this Genie, we are all screwed."

"Oh and what makes you think that this person is actual going to blow up the world. What if this person is actual going to, I don't know, solve world hunger or make everyone sing kumbaya around the fireplace."

Shuri was silent for a moment. Kida had a point. Jasmine said that the Jewels are dangerous because if you summon a Genie that is angry and grieving they are more powerful, but she didn't say that they are violent. But on the other hand…

"Well I am not going to take the chance. And anyway, why would one go through such lengths to summon this Genie if it wasn't for world conquest? And don't you think that maybe it would have already been done? No, I am not taking the chance. And you shouldn't too."

Kida rolled her eyes, sighed and shifted her weight on her feet, slightly annoyed. Shuri could see that she had gotten through to the queen and allowed a small smile to stretch across her face.

"Alright then, where do we set up shop?" Kida asked reluctantly.

Shuri gave a sweeping gesture towards the elevator. "This way, Your Majesty. And I might I say you look wonderful in that dress…"

"Don't push your luck, Shuri." Kida said, but a bit of humour returned to her voice.

XXX

Kida was just in awe of the lab as Shuri was when she first saw it. Now, though, with a bit of polish and shine and Shuri's equipment all set up, the place looked like it belonged to a futuristic/sci-fy film, except everything that was in it wasn't CGI-ed or fake.

The two girls began to discuss all of the different equipment and how they would go about finding the thief. Shuri told her that the others are finding out all they could the old fashioned way: books, while they would find this person in a more efficient and logical way: technology. The longer they talked, the more things in common they found out about each other and the more they liked each other.

 _This maybe won't be as bad as I thought._ Kida thought after a while. _Maybe I can just lodge down here and pretend that_ they _don't exist. I will be perfectly fine._

Out loud Kida said. "Well it is great that we have all of this, but how are we going to use it to find this person."

"Well we need to create a profile on everyone who has been in and out Agrabah on that night the Jewels are stolen. Especially around the Palace area. And we need to see if they were stupid enough to leave any clues to their whereabouts."

"And how are we going to do that? Agrabah is, of course, one of the few places on this planet that refuses to use any sort of technology, so there are no cameras or anything to track this person's movement."

"Well we are going to have to use this…" Shuri went over and picked up a palm-sized sphere that had a raised bump in the middle. She then handed it over to Kida.

"What exactly is this?"

"Just push the button in the middle." Kida did. The sphere morphed into a holographic remote control. A whirring noise sounded from the table where a large screen was set up. Tiny scripts and pictures appeared on the screen. Next to it was a small bug like object that hovered above the table. The pictures on screen showed the two staring into the camera.

"This, I wouldn't say was a new invention, but an improvement. It is a literal bug that can be flown anywhere in the world no matter the distance from the remote. Since I know Jasmine will object to such an idea, I am going to plant it in one of her cases when she prepares to go back to Agrabah tomorrow morning. When she arrives I can activate this bug here and fly it around the building. Through this I can use facial recognition data and find more about the background of the people."

"That is all fine and well, but the thief is not stupid. I don't think he hung around waiting for an invitation to prison." Kida said as she pressed the button again and shut down the machine. She put the sphere back on the table.

"Well that was what I thought, but then it hit me. Jasmine said that only one was still alive. Why would this thief leave only one of them alive, while the others are dead? Then it hit me. What if this thief was actually thieves? What if this was an inside job and they had some help. I mean the vault is difficult to break-in as it is and there were four highly skilled guards. The whole thing is just suspicious to me."

Kida nodded. "Well, this is a start, and it is better than nothing. All we need to do is to get someone to plant the bug in the bag. Since we both are not exactly on good terms with Jasmine, how do we get in her room before tomorrow?"

Shuri allowed different scenarios to run through her head. How were they going to get into her room? They could break in, but if they are caught, it would not look good on their resumes. Maybe they could get someone else to do it. Someone unassuming and that makes sense to actually be there…

 _That's it!_ Shuri thought.

She snapped her fingers and grinned. "I have a plan. And someone isn't going to like it."


	10. A Minor Setback

"Are you serious?! Do you know 'ow much trouble I can get into if zis plan fails?" Plumette exclaimed as she put hooked her feather duster on her belt. "My lady will actually kill me if Jasmine doesn't string me up by my ears first."

"Plumette, this is important. It is the only way that we are going to get anywhere with this dead-end case. We have no other leads."

She gave an exasperated sigh and flung her hands in the air. There were stupid ideas and there were _stupid_ ideas.

"You do realise zat Jasmine's and Aladdin room is guarded by ze strongest man in ze 'ole of Agrabah. Some say zat not even a fly can pass 'is sight without being 'it."

"Surely you can think of something." Kida said holding out the bug. "You look like you could sweet talk your way out of a murder about fifty people witnessed."

Plumette leaned on one leg and crossed her arms. "Kida, 'e doesn't exactly get persuaded by us …"

"The French?" Shuri quipped.

"No, Shuri," Plumette rolled her eyes. "I mean 'e does not get attracted by girls. Unless I get some advice from Mulan, I am pretty much useless."

Shuri's mouth shaped in an 'o'. "Well maybe we can sneak into the room without the man noticing. Like maybe we can scale the building by using a pair of gloves and shoes of my own design. They have the ability to cling onto the wall. I got the idea from a kid in New York who has the same characteristics as a spider. T'Challa fought against him on an abandoned airport. Anyway we can scale up the wall enter the window and sneak in while they are asleep. We can plant the bug and leg it before they wake up. I can shut off all of the cameras while one of you can steal in…"

"Or we can ask my 'usband to do it." Plumette cut her off. "He would be more than willing. And he owes me for breaking my favourite of high heels."

"Ok, fair enough." Shuri said. "You get him on it. Meanwhile we can see if we can hold the couple up. Get them into a meeting or something...come on Kida, we are in need to do some stalling."

Shuri and Kida left her bedroom and made their way down the hall. That was when Shuri heard her name being called from Belle's room. Shuri halted and twisted around to see Adam rushing from the room.

"Shuri! I need your help. It is Belle…" Adam looked up to see Kida standing next to her. He held his tongue.

"Adam, it is fine. You can trust her." Shuri said. "What about Belle?"

Adam looked sceptically between the two girls. He sighed and turned back to Shuri. "She is getting bad. Her cough is getting worse and she can barely sit up. I don't know what to do." He ran his fingers through his damp hair; sweat glistened on his forehead.

"Wait...what is going on with Belle?" Kida tapped Shuri on the shoulder. Shuri turned to face her. "I thought she just had the flu."

Kida's face showed visible worry and it physically killed her that she had to be told the truth, but there was no going back. She was too far gone in.

"Well, um, sorry Ki. She has long gone past flu. She has lung cancer, but we do not have time to discuss this. I will tell you more about it later." She turned to Adam. "Adam you come with me, and Kida go and get Plumette and Okoye."

They both nodded and ran their separate ways. Shuri rushed into the room with Adam not far behind her. The sight that met her eyes on the other side of the door chilled her to the bone.

Belle's body was draped across the bed. Blood was smeared across her mouth and her hands. The once crisp white sheets were stained a crimson red. Her face was paler than it was even possible on a person and her eyes were glazed over.

"Oh my…" She clasped her hand over her mouth. _Calm. Think. You can only save her if your mind is stable._

Shuri took a few deep breaths and steadied herself on the bed post before she moved towards Belle. She gently pressed her trembling fingers on the side of the princess's throat feeling only a slight pulse beating against her skin.

"Ok, we still have time. But the only option we have is to take her back to my home country. My jet is fast but we have to leave now."

At the same time Plumette, Kida and Okoye burst through the door. The look on horror on their face reflected the same one that was on Shuri's.

"Belle…" Plumette said weakly. A single teardrop fell down her cheek and splashed on her collar. Her body was visibly shaking; she had to grip Kida's shoulder to keep herself up. Kida didn't seem to notice, or if she did, it was the least of her worries.

"Close the door, Okoye." Shuri ordered. "Before anyone else can see us."

Okoye nodded then did as she asked. Shuri was silent for a second trying to gather her thoughts.

"Ok, we need to get her out before dawn. Okoye you need to get the jet ready and four soldiers on standby. Plumette, you need to cover our tracks when we leave. Clean the room, and tell only Queen Elsa the truth. With the others, if asked, tell them that Belle had to go home on an emergency. I am currently in the basement working on a lead and not to be disturbed. Just come down with food once and in a while and eat the food yourself or whatever. Kida, you are to stay here and continue with our plan. If you are in need of any help, use one of these." Shuri handed over a ball attached to a bracelet. "Just flick it down and you will be able to contact me."

Kida nodded without a sound of protest leaving her lips. Shuri turned to Adam.

"Adam, we need to sneak her out without alerting the whole of the palace. Is there any secret passage or a tunnel we can use?"

He nodded. "There is an emergency elevator that leads down to an underground tunnel system. It comes out about half a mile where you left your jet. Only the members should know of it, so we should not come in contact with any prying eyes."

"Perfect. Okoye, get the others and meet us by the jet. Come looking for us in fifteen minutes if we not reached the meeting point."

She nodded, hit her chest and left. Kida and Plumette helped the unconscious Belle to her wheelchair. Adam grasped the handles of the chair and pushed to the door. Shuri followed closely behind him, turning her head just slightly for a final nod.

"You know what to do." She whispered before continuing through the door, not daring to look back. She had only been there for not even one night and she had already found an excuse to go home. Yet, strangely enough, she did not have any want to go back, especially if she has to see if can really hold up on her end of her promise.


	11. The Great Escape

The only sound Shuri could hear down the hall was squeaky sound of their shoes and the wheels on the chair and her short breaths. Adam led them right to the end of the corridor where the nursery was. He looked around, checking if there was anyone behind them before opening the door quietly but steadily.

The room was what every single nursery room looked like in those historical movies. There were a few cots dotted along the wall. They were all very old-school: they were made out of oak, filled out with frilly white sheets and blankets. There were silken curtains covering them, each a different colour.

At the other end of the room was a painted set of cabinets, no doubt filled to the brim of toys from all over the world donated to them by kings and queens and high-nosed nobles who were just trying to make themselves look good. Next to it and engraved on the fluffy cloud wallpaper was a small, but noticeable outline of a door.

Adam let go of the handles and strode to the wall. He gently placed his hand on the cherub with white wings and a golden trumpet. A zipping sound broke the deafening silence and the walls shuddered as it loudly began to slide. Shuri did not know how loud it was when only after it did she hear baby Ming crying in the background. Running footsteps from either Mulan or her husband echoed through the hallway. Adam and Shuri took one look at each other, realising what would happen if they were caught.

Shuri sprang into action as she grabbed the wheelchair and ran through the open doorway into yet another dimly-lit hallway with earthy walls. Adam hastily followed her, only stopping to close the door again with his hand on the scanner. She went on ahead to a rusty looking service elevator that hopefully still had some use in it. Shuri did not want to even think of the million possibilities in which this plan could go wrong. All she cared about was getting to that jet in time.

Adam pulled down a lever that opened up the eroded, bent wiring that somehow constituted a door and they piled into it.

As the elevator went down, Shuri caught a glimpse of the hidden doorway sliding open. She tightened the grip on the handles and prayed to Bast that they would not be caught up. She knew that they wouldn't be thrown into prison or anything, but taking time that they didn't have to explain everything was not something she could even afford to factor in. Belle's pulse was steadily slowing down. Her skin was cold and blood was smeared everywhere. The sight of the young princess losing seconds as they waited for the rust bucket to finally descend into the underground tunnel caused her heart to clench and her stomach to buzz.

They finally reached the ground floor after what felt like a thousand years to a brown, clay tunnel with ancient scones lining a way down. Adam struck a match from a box in his pocket and lit the first one. He past it to Shuri and he pushed her over to take control of the wheelchair. Without a word, he started to run.

As they got ten feet away from the elevator, it began to spring up to the top again at a fast rate. It could only mean that there were people on their tail, most probably Mulan who did not like the idea that there might have been someone in the nursery that magically disappeared.

This incited her to run faster. It didn't matter that she had to run half a mile to get to her jet. It didn't even matter that she would have a lot of explaining to do if she was caught. All that mattered was at least saving one good person. It would be something that would make her brother proud.

They ran and ran until they saw a literal light at the end of the tunnel. The evening sky was changing into a navy blue, lit up with only the silver of the moon. Luck would have it was that it was covered by only a grate that could easily be broken through with a single kick from Adam. In the distance behind them they heard the same pair of footsteps as they did behind the hidden door.

Shuri's heart was pounding against her ribcage as she finally came to a stop at the grate. Adam took a few tries to kick it open, but he managed to do it in the end. He flung the grate aside and went over to pick up Belle from the wheelchair bridal style since it was thick soil all the way to the jet.

Luck would have it that Adam was right: the tunnel did lead them out to a few yards where the jet was situated. Granted they had to fight their way through the thick shrubbery that hid the secret escape route from the world, but it was easy sailing from then on to the plane.

Okoye and four other women waited patiently for the others to arrive. Adam handed over Belle to two of the warriors who quickly helped her through the doorway. He nearly collapsed as he let go of his wife and the last of the adrenaline left his body. He needed the last two women to help him into the plane.

Okoye was about to follow suit when Shuri stopped her.

"You can't come with us."

"And why not?" Okoye said with some hurt in her voice.

"I…We need you here to keep up the pretence. If you are suddenly gone it would look suspicious." Okoye shifted on one foot and gripped her spear tightly, a sign of annoyance. "And we were followed, I think by Mulan. If so, she would need a good explanation, before she sets off an alarm that will alert the entire kingdom."

When she said this there was a shuffling from where Adam and her exited. Okoye automatically got herself into a fighting stance.

"We don't have the time to argue this at the moment." Okoye said. "I will stay, only because you commanded it, my princess, but it was my duty to be with you no matter what. I made a promise to your brother."

Shuri placed a hand on the warrior's shoulder. "I will deal with him when the time comes. I assume that you already sent a signal warning Wakanda of our arrival?"

"Of course, and your assistants are waiting for you. Your brother, however, did not sound pleased."

Shuri rolled her eyes. "Again I will deal with him when I get back home."

She hit her chest with both arms, and Okoye did the same. Shuri rushed into the cockpit and started the jet.

"I suggest Adam that you hold onto something because this is going to be a bumpy ride."

With that she lifted the jet and flew it towards home.


	12. There is No Place Like Home

It felt like years getting back to Shuri's homeland. Every second of flying felt like a second lost, a second that they could never take back. Adam was tense, as you might've thought, the entire fight back. He was silent except for the few moments when he relayed back Belle's condition to Shuri. The response was always the same: _she is holding on, but for how long is another question._

After long last they broke through the barrier and entered the city. Adam, if it weren't such an emergency, would have been in awe of it. They all were when they entered it.

Shuri set the aircraft to land in a hasty manner, but she really was not into pedantics at that moment.

When the doors opened, she was greeted by her assistants and a few of the hospital staff. They had the hover gurney that she had missed so much. Also next to them was none other than her mother and brother, both with a hardened look on their faces.

 _No matter though_ , she thought, _I can deal with that problem when I am done with this one._

The staff rushed to get Belle out of Adam's bloodied hands, a matter to which he didn't object to. Once she was handed over, his shaky legs could not hold him up much longer and collapsed beneath him onto the ground. The tears that he had tried to hold back finally had a chance to escape out of his eyes and down his cheek. He was tired and emotional, and the only way he was going to heal was if he took a deep breath in and falls in a deep sleep.

"Mncedisi!" Shuri called out to one of her assistants. A young girl, no older than her, with hazel eyes and braided hair in a tight bun snapped to attention when her name was called.

"Yes, my princess!"

"Take this man to the lab where he can rest in peace. Give him a sleeping draught to help him sleep. Get Cebisa and Bongani to help you."

She hit her chest with both arms and signalled two girls, both wearing the white coats like Mncedisi, but their heads were shaven. To the observant eye, they were obviously twins.

The twins rushed to his side while Mncedisi went to get another gurney. Shuri gave her family one last look that said _please given me time to explain after this is done._

XXX

The operation is not one I would like to describe in detail, for it is not one for the faint of heart. I myself do not want to recall the scene that Shuri struggled through five hours with. All you need to know my friends is that Belle survived and was comfortably resting in a painless sleep for the first time in months, but this wasn't the only good news she had for the French couple: Belle was perfectly healthy, or she would be perfectly healthy, to bear children. There was nothing wrong with her in the first place and when she healed, for she was to heal, she could be eligible for a baby.

This news was something that brought a huge smile to her face, and it was the only thing that got her through the fight after the operation.

"Shuri, what were you thinking!" T'Challa had exclaimed upon her entering the room.

"The same that you were thinking when you brought Ross to me all those months ago!" Shuri retorted. She flopped down on a chair in the room and felt what was left of her energy slowly draining away. "Why are you so opposed to the fact that that I just saved a friend's life today. It is not like we are still closed off to the rest of the world." She muttered.

T'Challa crossed his arms, "That was a different time, sister, and a different situation. From the reports Okoye sent me, it sounds like you have a crisis on your hands."

Shuri blinked. Of course she sent in daily reports, why wouldn't she? It was Okoye. "And your point is?"

"The point is that you should not be here, you should be there continuing with your research."

She cocked her head and stared at her brother. There was something off about him; it was so unlike him to say something like that when he spent so much time trying to do the exact thing. There was something that he wasn't saying.

"T'Challa, what is going on?" Shuri knew that beating about the bush was going to get them nowhere. She pushed herself up and walked right to his face. "What are you hiding from me?"

His face betrayed no emotion, and that was what worried Shuri the most. Never in her life did he seem so calm, so cold about a matter.

"Nothing." He said in a dead tone. "What I am saying is that there are dangerous enemies out there. You meant to be back at the palace and creating trust amongst the others."

"I have forged relations within a day, let me tell you." She pointed a finger in his face. "I have a partner who is helping me on this quest and I have trust allies who are keeping this a secret. You should know all of this because Okoye told you. Now the question is, brother, what are you not telling me?"

T'Challa was silent. Shuri sighed and rolled her eyes. "Well T'Challa, I am going to the lab and to check up on my friends. When the real T'Challa comes along, please send him up to me." She turned on her heel and stalked out the door refusing to look back. If she did though, she would have seen her brother's eyes flash green.

XXX

Belle gently stirred from her unconscious state. For the first time she felt no pain, and she could breathe. With the bright light that blinded her when she opened her eyes and the sweet humming from beside her, a lullaby that she had not heard before, she truly believed that she was finally in heaven. Maybe her mother was here with her Papa, who breathed his last breath three years before.

Her eyes adjusted to the light and she could make out a hospital room, but this was not like the other hospital rooms she was used to: it was less sterile and more…futuristic-looking. With hovering beds and holograms dotted about the place.

She gingerly got off from her bed. She felt a twinge in her back and her eyesight losing focus. She forced herself to sit down again and wait until the spell was over.

 _Surely if this was heaven, I would have no pain._

"You are conscious!" A voice from the side made her jump a little. She turned her head to be met with the most beautiful black eyes. Dangerously beautiful.

"I-I...where am I?" stuttered Belle.

"Oh, you are in Wakanda, Your Majesty." There was a cruel tone in the girl's voice. "And I am your nurse on duty, Thandiwe. I am here to make you all better."

In her experience, never trust a person who uses a tone that treats you like a child. Gaston did it. The Oliver family used it on her when she was trying to negotiate terms with them.

Belle was not stupid. She knew that the only way to deal with these people in her state was that she had to go along with it. Force was another way but she was way too weak to fight anyone.

"Wakanda, you say? How did I get here?"

"Princess Shuri brought you here, Your Majesty. You were in a coma and about to die when the princess and her assistant saved you. I took you here and made sure all your vitals were stable. To make you better."

"Well, uh, I must thank you for that, Thandiwe." Belle said, her nerves shaking a bit. "It must have been a difficult operation."

The girl shrugged. "Nothing we couldn't handle."

"Right, maybe you could take me to Shuri. I would like to talk to her."

"She is busy, I'm afraid. But your husband is here. Would you like me to take you to him?"

Belle nodded. She needed someone familiar to be with, especially when it hits the fan. This girl was not to be trusted; she could feel it in her stomach. She had a feeling that they would go anyway but to him. When she had a chance, she needed to make a run for it and warn Shuri.

"Wonderful!" She gave her a grin. She reached to the side of her and brought up an oxygen mask. "Say hi to him when you wake up."

Before Belle could react, Thandiwe forced the mask over her mouth and nose. She was too weak to struggle, to fight back, and within moments she was out again. The last imagine was a brilliant green flashing in the nurses eyes.

XXX

It was not long after Adam woke up. It was the wonderful smell of stewed meat that stirred him from his slumber. A man sat nearby, no doubt the same who brought in the food. He had unnatural green eyes but Adam did not notice; he was starving and the food was his main focus.

Little did he know that one spoonful was all it would take to knock him out.

XXX

Shuri was furious with her brother the more she thought about their conversation. She stormed to the safety of her own lab to have a quiet think to herself.

He was not him. He, or it, was something else. It was not T'Challa. These were the words that she chanted over and over again in her head when she was disrupted by a message from Kida.

She rolled the bead into her hand and a small figure of Kida appeared. She was obviously distressed about something.

"Get out of Wakanda now!" Kida said earnestly. "Get Belle and Adam and get the hell out of there!"

"Whoa, slow down. What is going on?" Shuri asked.

"Just go and find the others; I will explain on the way."

Shuri started to run down the halls to get to the medical bay.

"I did as you told me to do. Plumette got Lumiѐre to plant the bug in Jasmine's bag just in time. They went to home really quickly and everything went according to plan. I managed to activate it and look for clues. That was when I found this."

Kida's face was replaced with a clip of that same guard who was outside Jasmine's door speaking to a cloaked figure.

 _"Everything was prepared in perfect order, master." The cloaked figure said. "No one suspects a thing. I found a way to deal with that nosy Wakandian Princess and a way to get the last Jewel."_

 _"Good, Malikai." The guard said. "Are you sure that Garnet Jewel is located in Wakanda?"_

 _"Yes, my master. We found that it was transferred out of Australia to the country about two hundred years ago. For safe keeping. I sent the rest of my souls to there and all of the vessels were easy to persuade, except for that King." The cloaked figure said it as if it were poison. "He still has slight control over his body, trying to warn his little sister against coming there. But not to worry, we have a remedy for that." There was a rough, dead, humourless laugh that followed it._

 _"I figured out the place and time," the figure continued, "where we shall prepare the ritual. It is just like the poem said: when the sun is equal to the moon…"_

 _Suddenly he stops and turn around to face the bug. The cloaked figure shows a skeleton with rotten flesh and missing bones. It was the last image before the screen turned black._

Kida's face appeared again. Shuri felt her heart pumping in her chest at the recording.

That horrible creature and the guard did all of this? Was it the reason that Belle was declared barren? Was this something that was planned years in advance or were some things just a coincidence? Whatever it was they were in trouble.

"You need to get out of there now. They may have taken Belle…" The screen began to lag and crackle as if there was static to disrupt it. So did the lights short-out.

She ran ever faster to the medical bay only to find that Belle was gone.


	13. Darkest Hour

"Belle," Shuri whispered as she saw the empty ward. Belle was absolutely gone and there was no way on that planet could she get up and go for a little trot by herself, and by the way that the cloaked figure sounded that all of the people in Wakanda were possessed. There was no one she could trust.

There were two things she could do: either search the whole of Wakanda for the French couple, and she might be successful, but there was a small percentage that she survives. Or she could find a way back to the Palace and get a whole force together and plan a rescue mission. But what about that guard, the one who was behind all of this? If he was stopped him and forced him to release them, then she would be able to stop all of that out.

Behind her she could hear the marching sounds of footsteps. They were on her tail and gaining ground fast. She did not have much time to decide. Her heart told her to fight them, and demand where they took her friends. Who cares if she got captured? She would not leave them alone.

Her brain screamed RUN, for how many people… _things_ were out there and what weapons could she use against them? And what was the point if she got captured? Sure she might figure something, but would it be too late? Sure she could run and try and find out where they are, but as previously told, Wakanda is a giant place and she couldn't pin point a place if all tech is down.

 _THUMP, THUMP, THUMP…_

"Darling daughter mine! I need to speak with you." A sweet voice, her mother's voice rang out. It was dead, though; no emotion was heard in it.

She swore under her breath. It was now or never.

She stood her ground and waited.

XXX

If there was one thing that Shuri knew was that soldiers had a strict regime. They marched in order, they ate at the same time and they also reported back to High Command at appropriate times. The thing is that when there are a lot of them sometimes names and faces mix up, especially if they don't know the person.

Shuri was trembling. She had an idea, and it was a stupid one, so stupid that it might just work.

With a flourish, Queen Mother of Wakanda, Ramonda, stepped into the medic bay with about six Dora Milaje: the four who came with her and two others.

"Ah, my little Shuri! She came in and gave her a kiss on her cheek. She cringed at the fact that it was some spirit touching her cheek, not her mother, but she had to stay still. "I guess that you are here for your friend."

"You mean the prisoner."

Ramonda's eyes flashed green along with the other Dora Milaje. She hoped that this was not a secret signal that she would have to repeat.

The Queen Mother gave her an unsettling smirk and in a deep, gravelly voice she continued. "Ahh, I see that your vessel finally gave in. She is just like that T'Challa, so against it, but she will finally realise that this is the best for all of them. Our Master always knows best."

Shuri cleared her throat, hoping that she could replicate the same deep voice. "Yes, he does. Um…I actually have been ordered by him to find the prisoners. To get information and all that."

She nodded. "That is indeed brilliant on his part. They will believe that you still have 'some good in your heart', and try to talk you out of it, pretend that you have and then get inside their heads. No doubt your vessel has provided the information to them." Ramonda walked towards Shuri, spinning a sharp blade between her…its fingers.

"It is such a pity that we cannot read the minds of our vessels. We would have found it much sooner that way. Anyway…I suppose that would take the fun out of it." She gave Shuri a grin that made Shuri feel sick in the pit of her stomach.

 _Be strong, be strong, be strong be strong_

"Of course." Shuri replied.

"Here," Ramonda handed out her the dagger, "when you are done with them, dispose of them."

Shuri looked at it for a split second before reaching over and grabbing it. Rather her hold it than anyone else.

Ramonda beckoned over the first Dora Milje, a girl called Zendiwe. She was a part of the group who arrived with her back in Arendelle.

"Take her to the bunker."

Zendiwe nodded silently and walked in front of her to the exit at the opposite side of the room. Shuri followed closely behind.

XXX

While Zendiwe or her body anyway, walked in front of her, Shuri was trying to think of the way to get all of her tech working again. No doubt this jamming device was also freezing the jet. If she were to escape, she could at least take Belle and Adam with her.

She could not believe her luck. They fell for her trick. She was about a hundred per cent sure that they would catch her out, but they didn't. Like she though, soldiers get mixed up between names and faces.

They walked down long hallways that twisted and turned. Shuri hoped that she would remember her way back. And even so, she would have to find a way to turn the equipment online. It had to be something strong to screw with their systems. She wished she could ask, but she supposed that this would be information that the spirit would have already known.

They finally reached a concrete door, right at the bottom of the building. She had never been there nor did she ever have the need to go there.

The doors were so out of place that it still had manual locks, like the ones back in the Palace.

Zendiwe pulled out a set of keys from a holster around her ankle and placed it in the lock. She turned it open to show a dank room that smelled like mildew.

In the corner were two figures laying limply with their arms in cuffs connected to the wall. Belle was pale and her brown hair was slick with sweat and Adam's had a cut above his brow.

They both lifted their heads weakly.

"Shuri?" Belle asked in a small voice.

 _Think quickly._

"No, not Shuri anymore." She mustered a smirk.

"Oh God, not you as well." Adam dropped his head. Shuri could almost see his heart splitting into two.

"Yes me." She turned to face Zendiwe. "You may leave us."

The girl bowed down and handed over the keys. Once her back was turned, Shuri took the knife in her hand and used the butt of the knife, for it was very heavy, and hit her across her ear. Zendiwe crumpled to the floor.

"That actually worked. Hmm."

 _So much for the strong spirit inside of her._

She picked up the keys, pulled her tongue at the unconscious body and turned to face the couple.

"Your knight in shining armour has come to rescue the damsels in distress." She pulled the keys out and unlocked their cuffs.

The couple were too shocked that they just had their jaws hitting the floor.

"Is it really you? How did you…?"

"I will explain everything, but for now, we are going to need to get your butts out of here. I don't know how, because the tech is all offline."

Adam rubbed his wrists. "I think I might know how to help." He got up then offered his hand to Belle, who took it willingly. "I was semi-unconscious at the time, but it heard them saying that they set up a blocking system in your lab. Shuri, who are those people?"

"They are my people who are possessed by souls sent by the guy who is trying to summon the genie."

"But why are they here?"

"Well apparently the Garnet Jewel has been hidden in Wakanda for two hundred years for safe keeping. Don't give me that look, I had no idea. I don't think that brother even knows about it, but they think that we do. But since they cannot access the vessel's memories they are resorting to torturing you."

"Well, that is excellent! We need to find it then." Belle began to walk towards the door, but her legs gave out a little bit. Adam managed to capture her before she fell.

"Hold your horses," Adam said. "We can't go treasure hunting while you are about to expire. We need to unjam the signal and get on one of those jets home."

"I have to agree with Adam. You are in no state to find it, and as long as they are being possessed they don't know either. We need to regroup with the others and come up with a plan. Maybe we can catch the villain before they find it."

Belle sighed and nodded. "Ok then. Let's go home then. But I have to ask: how are we going to get there without raising suspicion?"

A smile came to her face. "Have any of you seen Star Wars?"


	14. The Luck of The Gods

"I have the prisoners here, and the Master has instructed me to take them to him."

The guard raised its eyebrow. "The Master wants these pathetic… _humans_ ," It spat. "Why would his Masterfulness want to waste his time with them?"

"Do you dare question the Master?" Shuri's voice hardened.

"Well…I…"

"The Master knows what is to be done and these two are a part of it. So instead of you blocking our way out, you are to do what he instructs. Or else he will hear of your insolence."

"The guard's tough expression fell away quickly. Its hands were shaking while it fumbled with the machine that jammed the electronic signal.

It had been relatively easy getting to her lab. Easier than she thought it would be.

Shuri loosely bound the couple's hands behind their backs with a rope she found in the dungeon. She lightly pushed them forward and through the winding corridors. Shuri could not remember the exact route that Zendiwe took her, but she just went with what her gut said was the right way to go.

After about a half-an-hour of searching through the hallways, she heard the march of the solders echoing somewhere to the left of them. This was her chance, their chance to get out of the damned place and back to the Palace.

Shuri shepherded the two towards the noise. Louder and louder were their steps, matching Shuri's heartbeat. Blood pumped through her skin, sending small messages saying that this plan would never work. Shuri tried to ignore them, but somewhere at the back of her mind it was pulsating.

Another step and the three were face to face with five ordinary people; two male dressed in coats and three female in colourful dresses. They had a cold, blank expression on their faces saying that their souls were truly long gone.

"I have orders from our One and True Master that these prisoners are to be delivered strictly to him. I need a jet ready once the jamming signal is gone."

Unlike the guard at the control room, their eyes flashed green in acknowledgement, turned around and marched off towards the landing pad. It hurt to see that there were good people hidden within the depths of their own bodies. They had nothing to do with this, nor did they deserve it. Shuri swore an oath that they would be freed, no matter what it took.

Belle was barely holding on, and swayed to her left. Luckily Shuri managed to catch her in time.

"We need to get going fast." Shuri said as she helped Belle to straighten up. "C'mon, this way."

With a bit of effort, Shuri managed to get Belle and Adam up the stairs to her lab. In front of their way was a guard in a female vessel, but Shuri was far past regarding them as any gender, they were just facades for pure evil.

This is where we are in our story so far.

The guard led them down to where Adam lay just a few hours before.

There was indeed a jamming device. It was about a size of a small flat-screen TV, and just as thin. This guard picked it up and tapped the screen a few times. Within an instant, a whirring sound came to life; one Shuri was used to and grew up around. Her bracelet hummed, indicating that there was a message on the other side.

"Thank you, soldier. Your contribution will not go unnoticed."

The guard's eyes flashed green and it bowed its head.

Shuri quickly spun around and herded Belle and Adam through the door, not daring to turn around in fear that the guard will find out who she really is.

Once the door closed behind them, Shuri untied them both and they ran. They ran as fast as they could, only stopping if someone passed them or if Belle was about to faint. Shuri flicked the bead to her palm to show a hologram of Kida again.

"Oh, thank the spirits that you are alright! I've been trying to contact you for hours…"

"There was a bit of a detour I had to take. The whole of Wakanda is possessed by those souls that the video you sent to me showed. They took Adam and Belle, but I managed to free them. We are on our way to a jet now." Shuri turned down to the corridor that led them to the outside. They were so close.

"Good, because it is utter chaos back here. We had to tell them about this situation, because it affects us all. We had to contact Jasmine to tell her what happened. She had a meltdown and a half when she heard that we tricked her. It was even worse when we told her that her most valued guard was the thief. I never had ever seen her look so distressed in my whole life. She is now on her way back while her husband is holding the fort and keeping an eye on the culprit…"

Kida was interrupted when Shuri heard a familiar voice from behind her.

"Well, well, well…what is this then?"

She turned around to see her brother giving her a grin with at least twenty guards with their spears out.

XXX

"Oh what, let me guess; the Master has told you to bring the prisoners to him?" T'Challa strode up to them.

Shuri instinctively backed away with the other two doing the same. They halted though, when the soldiers who Shuri sent to prepare the jet stood silently behind them. They had small Vibranium blades pointed at their backs. They were totally blocked off from any escape.

Shuri felt her heart about to burst in her chest. They were so damn close. So close.

"Kida I gotta go." Shuri said as she stared at her brother. "I have a family matter to deal with."

"Family?" T'Challa chuckled. "You have no family. Your father is dead and you might as well consider your mother and your brother as well. You know, I can feel your brother fighting back. He is pounding against my skin to get free, but I am much stronger than him. He will never be free again."

The words twisted a knot in her stomach, but she refused to show it.

"Not talking, I see. Well let me tell you the story about how I found about your little rescue mission. When everything came online, I was a little curious about it, as you might imagine. So I wondered my way to the control room to be told by Soul 390 that our Master had requested it, which is funny because I had a three hour long conversation before. So I did what any good leader would do, I killed her." He said it with such relish that made Belle throw up a little in her mouth. "And just as the soul died, the vessel was alive again for two seconds, but enough to see the fear in her eyes. She was such an innocent girl. About to get married, actually, and your actions took that away from her."

The last statement hit the three hard, but it hit her the hardest. This was a girl who did nothing and she died because of Shuri. But this… _creature_ was only doing this to screw with her mind. She had to find a way to get to T'Challa. There _had_ to be a way to get to him. Reason obviously didn't work, but pain might work.

"You know, Soul I-don't-give-a-damn, you want the Garnet Jewel right, and you will leave us alone."

"Of course. We don't want to be here much longer than is necessary."

"Well, I know where it is."

The vessel cocked his eyebrows. "Is that so? And where might it be."

"Yeah, I do. If you come closer I will tell you."

T'Challa came closer. When he was close enough, Shuri leant in closer.

"I suppose the crown jewels might be close enough…"

And she brought her knee up and hit his crouch. He cried out in pain and doubled over. Luckily enough he wasn't wearing the Black Panther armour, because that would have been really bad. Really, really, bad.

All around them the guards enclosed around them. Their spears poked into their backs, ready to penetrate through if necessary, but T'Challa held his hand up, signalling them to stop.

He looked up and his eyes changed to his normal colour.

"Shuri," he whispered. "It is me. Go now before it is too late."

 _That actually worked. If this was a book it must have been from an author who is tired and making things up as they go along._

"What about you, T'Challa?"

"I will distract them. I feel the soul taking control quickly. Now go!"

Shuri nodded, a tear trickled down her cheek. She knew he will be fine. He always was, even at that one time he actually died.

Shuri grabbed the others and sprinted. She could hear the uproar behind them and spears flying.

I can honestly say that they reached the plane unscathed and Shuri took control before flying away. The last thing she saw was the expression on her brother's face turning dark again.


	15. A Twist in the Tale

Elsa rushed through the halls, her slippers clicked with each running step.

It was just hours before she heard the news about Shuri escapade at Wakanda and that she just managed to get free from the clutches of those minions from cloaked skeleton. The situation was worse than she thought when she heard about the last Jewel on Wakanda and those things so close to it.

She just had a meeting with the rest of the members and she had to be the one to tell them everything from the fact that Belle had terminal cancer to the recent events. She expected hysterical crying and whaling and hiding under the table and hope that their deity could save them. But they didn't. In fact all they did was exchange worried looks at each other and a gasp or two from Snow, but that was it.

 _Sometimes I think too little of them. They deserve more than this._

Jasmine though, she was not at all alright. By the time she flew back from Agrabah, she was in three states of a panic. Her clothes were drenched from sweat, from over a day's wear, her hair was frizzled and some of her hair bands were missing. Her face scared everyone the most. It was smeared with dried tears and wet make-up. Her eyeliner was streaked across her cheeks, mixing with the brown powder of her rouge…just was something she will never un-see.

Elsa headed out of the door and down the ice courtyard where she saw them.

Shuri and Adam were supporting Belle, who was barely holding herself upright. The other two were stumbling over the steps and slipping on the icy surface of the courtyard.

"You!" She pointed to one of the guards who followed her. "Take Princess Belle to the medical bay and you," she pointed to the guard on her right. "Alert Queen Kida and send her to meet up with them."

The both nodded and ran to their tasks. Elsa followed the first guard to the wary three, where he picked Belle up bridal style and jogged towards the entrance.

"Oh my! Are you two alright?" Elsa said as she put Shuri's right arm over her shoulder.

"We are still walking and talking." Shuri said. "I suppose we must be grateful for that. Has Kida caught you and the others up?"

"Yes, they took it rather well. They were more concerned about the fact that you guys nearly went into a suicide mission, but everyone is relieved that Belle is saved and you managed to get back ok."

Shuri nodded. They did come back ok, she supposed; physically anyway, but what killed her was the fact that her own people were turning. And her brother's face when he managed to fight for control, it hurt her. He was tired, and she could see he was barely hanging on. The only reason that he has lasted this long is most probably because of the powers of the Heart-Shaped Herb.

 _No don't let it get to me_ she thought _that is what they want. The only way to help him is not to mope about it, but to finally end this man once and for all._

They walked along the halls, with a few guards coming to provide extra support.

"Take them to the medical bay." Elsa instructed to them. She turned to Shuri and said: "Now before you protest, you and Adam need to have a rest for an hour or two at least. Once you, Adam and Belle are fully awake, we will all have an emergency meeting to discuss what we need to do next. Jasmine and Rapunzel have both found some more information in some old scripts from the library, and Kida is on to analysing the rest of the video."

"Actually, I wasn't going to protest about sleep. It has been over 24 hours since I slept so no complaints." Shuri gave a waning smile. "I will work better if I can see straight."

"Good." Elsa handed her over to a tall guard with dark hair. "We will wake you up if anything urgent happens."

XXX

"Shuri, wake up! Something urgent has happened!"

Shuri groaned at her rude awakening. She was having a nice dream. A dream about winning the battle against the guard and she went home to see Wakanda resumed to normal again, with her brother and her playing tricks on each other and she inventing new and wondrous things for her new friends back in Arendelle.

But she had not gotten that far yet.

She opened her eyes to see the pale-faced Anna. Her green eyes gave away earnestness and the gravity of the situation.

"What's up?" Shuri yawned as she pushed herself to a sitting position. The medical bay's walls were like the one on the corridor doors to the workshop in the basement. It was colourful, with swirling strokes of paint; pinks, blues and yellows brightened up the room. The beds where Belle and Adam lay were empty, suggesting that they had already gone up to the meeting room.

"Just come up. We will explain everything there."

XXX

"Thank the spirits you are here!" Kida exclaimed as Shuri and Anna reached the boardroom. "They are all growing antsy in there. Come quickly."

She grabbed Shuri's arm and tugged her into the room. Every single pair of eyes turned to her. There were new people, she observed, standing next to some of the princesses. All male as well and she did know who some of them were.

There was Prince Eric next to Ariel. He was holding her protectively, and she remembered that Ariel was pregnant. She could not imagine how stressed she felt at that moment, trying to protect herself and her unborn child. Judging from the small bump, she was not far along, still in her first trimester, but that doesn't make it less frightening.

Opposite them was Adam and Belle, both still a bit peaky, but Belle looked a million times better than she did before the operation. With another glance at Ariel's bump, Shuri remembered that Belle was miraculously able to have children. She could not help but to feel that it had something to do with this entire mess. It sounded absurd because there could be no reasonable explanation to how that could tie into all of this. It was just a feeling she had.

Tiana's husband (Naveen?) was pacing up and down the room, hands wrung tightly around his back. Eugene was leaning against the wall with Kristoff. They were muttering softy to each other, both with a concerned look upon their face. The other men were rocking nervously or holding their wives hands tightly. It was only Merida, Moana, Elsa and Pocahontas who were by themselves; they were huddled in a corner whispering intensely with each other. And of course Jasmine, who was staring at the wall as if it did her wrong. Papers scattered around her and books piled next to her.

Kida let go of Shuri's arm and moved to aside of another. He was weedy, with huge spectacles and dirty blonde hair. He was the only one she hadn't met yet. Kida had spoken of him before and she made him sound much… _bigger_ ; taller, bulkier than she imagined.

 _What is his name…it sounded like a hot chocolate…Minko? Micko? No wait…Milo! That's it!_

"Why are all the men here?" Shuri whispered to Anna.

"When it is a state of emergency that concerns all of the kingdoms, we get our husbands to join us. It has only happened once before, when that Loki guy appeared on Earth before the alien invasion of New York. We had him on our scanners before and we just knew something wasn't right, but your brother's friends seemed to handle it alright."

"Ok." Elsa clapped her hands, interrupting them. She sat at her end of the table. "Listen up! Now that we are _all_ here, let's get right to it. Jasmine, Rapunzel, take it away."

The two princesses snapped out of their daze and stood up.

"We found something while we were in the library." Rapunzel said, "On the video, the cloaked skeleton gave a few things away about the location."

"That _thing_ ," Jasmine said it as if it were a bitter taste on her tongue, "said that the place that they were doing the ritual originated from came from a poem, with the starting line 'Where the sun is equal to the moon…'."

"At first we thought it was impossible to find where it came from, since it was rather obscure and it could have been in any language…"

"When I remembered something…" Jasmine pulled out a dusted book that had been in slumber for over a century. In was so old that the paper might have actually been vellum, a thin sheet of skin from an animal. (Unfortunately yes, that was a thing.) The writing was in Arabic, with the characters swirled elegantly against the page.

"It is from an ancient poem that is old as time itself. I remember it being taught to me when I was barely two feet tall. It was written at the end of a story about a girl whose love was captured from bandits. The girl seeked for years to find him, following dead end trails after dead end trails until she reached the far side of the Known World only to find him dead, and missing. She then begged Death to help her retrieve him. Death felt pity for her, since her love's time was not meant to run out so quickly, but he couldn't give out souls just because of his feelings. So he made a deal with her: if she were to bring him souls, every month he would reveal a line where her love lay and how she could bring him back. So she started as he said, reaping souls where ever she went to satisfy Death and once a month he whispered a line through the wind. Here are the lines she got.

 _'When the Sun equals the Moon_

 _And Earth's ground has sprung_

 _Ares will ready to arm soon_

 _For his bride is to come_

 _They will celebrate their love_

 _And the world will see_

 _For if you look above_

 _The answer shall be_

 _When all is aligned next to Selene_

 _You should have already arrived at the bloody scene_

 _It is on the plain between the goat and the crab_

 _The world around may seem drab_

 _But there is more than meets the eye._

 _Raised upon the deserted centre is where his grave did lie._

 _The last part is difficult to achieve_

 _For you must find the treasure he leaves_

 _For you spread across the Known and Unknown world_

 _Each piece of wealth is within a crevice of each whole land…'"_

Jasmine stopped and put the book down.

"The girl never managed to finish it since she died from the same bandits that killed her boyfriend. Apparently this treasure was worth more that the Raj's and the rest of the noble's wealth put together and these guys were desperate to get their hands on it. When she and her love refused to tell them, the bandits just killed the couple."

"Why are all your stories end on such a downer?" Shuri asked.

"Because we don't live in a fairy-tale." Jasmine retorted. Shuri could not help a smile to pull at her lips. She was really getting to like this girl.

Jasmine turned to face the people again. "We suspect that this story is a retelling of the Genie and The Traveller. The Traveller is the girl and her lost love is the Genie. The poem is away to find where the Genie's resting place is."

"So you are saying that the person behind this all is the Traveller?" Kida asked, her eyebrows raised.

"Yup."

"But that does not make any sense." Cinderella piped up from the background. "This story must be a few thousand years old. It is impossible that the Traveller had survived that long."

"Yeah that has stumped us as well" Rapunzel said. "But I think that is the least worrying thing on our list. We must decipher the poem before it is too late."

There was a murmur of agreement that filled the room. A few wheels turned in Shuri's head. They couldn't go into battle without some sort of protection. This poem might take some time to decipher, or it might not, but she will work hard nonetheless.

Shuri stood up. "I need to do something."

All eyes on her.

"Yeah you need to help us to decipher this poem." She thinks it was from Cinderella's husband. She never remembered his name, though, so she just called him Charming, because he had a nice smile.

"You guys are more than enough to decode this. I need to get us ready for whatever is out there. We can charge into battle wearing ballroom dresses and silky pants, now can't we?"

"You want us to fight?" Snow White said from the back. "I couldn't hurt a fly if it was annoying me."

"Mulan can help you with that, and it is a last resort anyway. Hopefully we can get through this without hurting a soul…literally. I will need some help, though."

"I will help." Three people said at once. Belle, Kida and her husband Milo raised their hands.

"I just need Belle and Kida. Sorry Milo. They will need your worldly intelligence and your skill in linguistics up here."

He nodded, not without disappointment.

"Come on, girls. Let's see what we can conjure up." She winked, no one noticing the badly placed pun.

 _ **XXX**_

 ** _Hey my Bokkies_**

 ** _I am super, super busy, so that is why this chapter is a bit late, sorry._**

 ** _I am going to be busy for, like, the next three months_**

 ** _So expect delays_**

 ** _Love from thecapefangirl_**


	16. Death's Code

It was non-stop work for three hours. Shuri worked on the costumes while Belle and Kida helped with the extra embellishments. As fast as they were working, though, it was not enough to keep up with the time. Shuri usually would have called the other scientists, but since they were possessed bodies miles away they had to settle with a more…unorthodox way to get through the work load. Well unorthodox, according to her.

Belle made a call to the top and within two hours the doors flew open with what the others call 'sidekicks', or to Shuri, sentient animals who have saved their bacon in the past.

Apparently this creatures were once apart of experiments back in the day that helped to create Captain America's serum. They, the ones who survived the testing, were released back into the wild around the world, the scientists hoping that no one would ever come across them.

But people did. Princesses who grew up around woodlands or wide open areas seemed to get attached to the animals and found love in the furry animal's loyalty. They would give them love when no one else would give it to them and in turn the creatures would help the girls in whatever way that they could. If it meant helping them sew dresses for a ball, or help the clean up a cottage, they were there.

Running through the room were Cinderella's mice, who really knew their way around a needle and thread, Snow White's and Aurora's forest furries, who helped fetching and carrying. Abu, Aladin's monkey found his way into the room and, like a schoolboy before his final exam, was extremely counter-productive. The most he did was to improve moral and left a grin across the faces in the room with his antics.

Shuri managed to salvage enough Vibranium for everyone, for she knew a tiny sliver of the metal would be enough to protect most attacks. Belle helped her out now and again with certain skills and weaknesses that the princesses had.

"I suggest for Tiana that you give her something frog-related, if you understand. She had some practice with it before and she is quite fond of it. Also, for Rapunzel, maybe if you have time to synthesise a potion similar to her tears we can at least have a back-up if anyone is mortally wounded. Where did I put it now…?"

A rabbit hopped over with a tiny vial in its paws. Golden liquid sloshed in it with each jump forward.

"Ah here it is. Thanks Ritchie." She winked at the rabbit and Shuri swore that the rabbit winked back before it hopped off to Kida.

"You named the rabbit Ritchie?" Shuri asked, her lips quirked in amusement. She held the tiny vial up to her eye for a better look.

"Snow said that he liked Lionel Ritchie so we named him that. Anyway don't lose that bottle; it took us a long time to get Rapunzel to watch 'Marley and Me' and to get close to her face without her swatting our face."

Shuri laughed as she put the glass down and back to the last alterations on Mulan's armour. Belle turned to go, but hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Shuri asked, worried that Belle may have gone into a relapse.

"I realised that I haven't said thank you for saving my life." She faced Shuri and put her hand on her shoulder. "Twice now you risked your life for mine when you could have left me. I don't think anything in the world can show you my gratitude for what you did for me."

Shuri grinned back. "The only thanks I want is that when we are is that you name your child after me. Oh, and I get to be their godmother."

Belle's hand slackened its grip on Shuri's shoulder. Her face showed only confusion and shock. "What?"

Shuri swivelled her chair around. "Adam told me you whole story, about why you got ill. I had a weird feeling about the whole can't-get-pregnant-thing. It didn't make any sense, since you suddenly were barren when you had no diseases or problems before, so I checked you out after surgery and found that you are healthy. No problems whatsoever…"

"Oh. My. God!" Belle exclaimed. She clasped her hand around her mouth and squealed, alarming Kida and the others in the room. Belle bent down and kissed Shuri on her cheek before running around the room, avoiding the animals very elegantly, screaming that she is going to be a mother whenever she wanted to be. She nearly knocked over Kida to get to the phone that connected the rooms.

"Adam!" She shouted into the phone. "Adam we can have children!"

"What?" A confused voice said back.

"I said we can have children! Shuri just told me now. She said that I am perfectly healthy!"

From where Shuri was sitting she could hear the whooping and the screams of congratulations from the other side.

She said a few 'humbled' words of thanks for to the well-wishers and bounced into a rolling chair. The force pushed her back to Shuri where she collapsed.

"But this makes no sense. Our doctor is a good one, she has been with us for years. How could she misdiagnose me?"

"I have been thinking about it as well. I wish I could give you an answer for that."

Belle lent back and slowly twirled around in the chair. "Do you think that that has something to do with all of this?" She waved her hands at the room.

"I haven't completely crossed it off my list. Maybe it was an honest mistake. Maybe it was test results from Adam and it was mixed up with yours?"

"Adam wasn't tested." Belle said then she suddenly hopped up onto her feet. "Well I better get back to work. We can think about this later."

Shuri smiled a wider smile as she walked away. She was ecstatic for her, but she could not help but to worry about the princess. There was something fishy about the situation and something that they will ultimately have to dig into. But Belle was right. They needed to get back to work.

XXX

Another few hours had past and the three with their sidekicks had just finished the last stitch on the last costume. They all collapsed onto the tables, too tired to be proud of their work.

"You know, I miss the days when the biggest threat was an ugly South African trying his luck to sell illegal Vibranium." Shuri said with her face on the desk.

"I miss the days when my biggest problem was a bunch of Americans trying to steal our power." Kida yawned.

"I miss the days when my biggest fear was a narcissist, pig-headed psychopath with separation anxiety was trying to marry me and all my friends were enchanted clocks."

Kida and Shuri raised their heads at Belle, both with worried looks.

"I'm just kidding," she grinned. "I would rather face those soul things than to even see Gaston's face again."

The phone beeped just as they finished laughing. Kida pushed herself to it.

"What's up? Uh-huh…Uh-huh…alright…really? That is brilliant!" She faced the others. "Yeah just finished ourselves, we will come now." She put the phone down. "The others have cracked some of the code. We need to go now."

XXX

"Belle!" Adam yelled as the three walked in. He ran over and swooped her off her feet. She giggled like a twelve-year old girl and gave him a huge kiss.

"Guys, you really can wait until after the mission." Shuri said as she flopped down in the chair. "What do you guys have?"

Milo walked over with a scrap of paper fill of notes. He pushed up his glasses as gave it to her. "We have a lot, actually. Most of it is purely for rhyming purposes but here is the basics:

" _When the Sun equals the Moon_ references equinox, which happens to be tomorrow night. The next line says _when Earth's ground has sprung_ specifies that it is the spring equinox."

"We are going into autumn tomorrow, right? So that narrows it down to the Southern Hemisphere."

"'Narrow' is not the word I would use. Anyway what about the Ares and his bride?"

"We had to get some help from Meg, one of the lower-level members," said Jasmine. "Her husband is the son of Hera and Zeus. Ares is his uncle or something. I asked her about it and she said that it is nothing to do with them but she said that the bride might be referring to Aphrodite. She also said that Selene is the Titan goddess of the moon."

"So you are saying that they are referring to astronomy rather than actual people." Kida said as she moved next to Shuri to read the notes.

"Yes, actually. Ares is the Greek name for Mars, and Venus is the Roman name for Aphrodite. This must be referring to the planets."

"This makes sense," Moana added, "since tomorrow is supposed to be a big occasion. Venus, Mars and the moon will be aligned next to each other for the night. Something like this happens once in a few thousand years."

"So that gives us a when, but we still need to pin point exactly where in the Southern Hemisphere…"

"We are getting there Shuri. That is the next part."

Eugene pulled out a map from the back. "In the poem it mentioned a place between the goat and the crab. It must be referring to the lines of Capricorn and Cancer which in the Zodiac…"

"Is a goat and a crab." Belle finished. She walked around to the atlas. "So it can only be between the equator and the Tropic of Capriccorn." She drew her finger between the two lines. "The next lines are something about a deserted centre which is raised. So that has to be a desert and a line of mountains on which it is upon."

"Yup, unfortunately that is all we know since there is very little information given to the exact location." Milo signed as he sat down. "It could be in Namibia or South America or Australia...who knows!"

"Well that is not bad. Maybe we can scan for sites with unusual magic activity? Anywhere where lay lines might cross over?" Shuri said. She only got back a less than enthusiastic response.

"Ok, people this thing is tomorrow night, and we haven't even started to plan, so I suggest that those who really need some sleep," she pointed her gaze to Ariel who was barely hanging on, "must go to sleep. Going to battle is gonna take energy. Otherwise anyone else who wants to stay and help me out is welcome to. Any takers?"

No-one responded; not even Kida or Belle volunteered. Shuri didn't expect them to. If she had the chance she would also go to sleep.

Shuri turned around when she heard "Wait!"

Elsa stood up with a tired grin. "I haven't done much today. I could use a break."

"Great, because you have a long one ahead."


	17. It's Time to Begin

_Master it is found. The Jewel is now in our hands. It was hidden within one of the Queen's headdresses._

 _That is excellent news. I hope all of the preparations are now in place at the location._

 _Yes, Master. Everything is going accordingly to plan._

 _Good Malikai._

 _I hope that you will keep your side of the agreement once finished._

 _Of course. I free your true Master, Death_

 _XXX_

"I think I found something." Elsa's throat was dry from hours without a break, not even for a glass of water. Her eyes strained to keep the screen from going blurry.

There was just silence from the other side of the room. Elsa turned her head to see a snoring Shuri with her body draped across the desk in the most inelegant fashion.

"Wake up!" Elsa formed a snowball in her hand and shot it at Shuri's shoulder. She woke up with a startled look across her face and she almost fell of her chair.

"What? What's going on?"

"I found a certain location where our friends might be at." She said as she turned the screen to face Shuri.

Shuri got, _stumbled_ , off of the chair and staggered to where Elsa sat. There were a picture of a line of mountains, flourished with fauna and flora on the top and along the sides were a dirt brown, deserted sand.

"The Auas Mountains?" Shuri read. "Isn't that in Namibia?"

"Yup. In fact it is near the capital of Windhoek. It fills in all of the criteria: It is in between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer. It is of course a mountain range in a desert."

"What makes you so sure that this is the place?"

"Well," Elsa clicked onto a tab. "This is a newspaper article from a few hours ago. It says that there has been some strange phenomena happening within a three mile radius. For instance, there have been reports of heavy rainfall just on the mountain. A pungent smell of rotten eggs has surrounded them. Clouds have created a perfect circle around the area. And of course the fact that many people are saying that there is a 'continual strike of lighting' in one particular area."

"That sounds like our best bet. It is," Shuri looked at her watch, "ten past five am. We should at least get an hour or two sleep before we alert the others."

With that Shuri slumped over the desk and quickly fell fast asleep.

XXX

"Shuri! Shuri wake up!" Two hands were on her shoulders and shaking her violently.

Shuri was in her bed back in her room. She was still in her clothes that she wore in the basement, all crumpled and dirtied. Her hair was in a tousled mess, tangled and knotted in all directions.

An earnest Plumette was only inches from her face. Shuri yelped, nearly giving her maid a permanent bruise.

"Holy Bast! You gave a fright."

"Sorry, but it is time to get moving. You have a meeting in fifteen minutes and I don't think you will be eating for a while. I had Mrs Potts provide you with a lunch. Also, I suggest you have a shower."

Plumette scuttled away and shut the door behind her, leaving Shuri in a bit of a daze. She looked at her clock, seeing it was twelve already. She had over slept.

The tray beside her was filled with bacon sandwiches and salads and a small side bowl of custard. And loads of coffee.

Since the last time she ate something properly was about a day or two before, she gobbled up the food in a way that would make her brother cringe. A hole was filled in her stomach and she felt the energy restored throughout her body.

She took Plumette's advice and had a long, scaling hot shower. She winced at the brown discolouration of the water that ran down the drain.

She dressed in the suit that she customised herself. It was a suit, not unlike the one Wakanda's warriors wore, but she had small, but deadly weapons in her arsenal instead of a large spear. Under it, though, she had a thin skin suit of Vibranium fibres that can deflect most attacks. If she was going into battle she was going to do it to represent her country.

XXX

Everyone looked more alert than they did the day before, but she could see the apprehension in their faces and in their body language.

"We have all been caught up." Belle said as Shuri took her seat at the end of the table, "We just need to discuss our plan of action."

"It is rather simple. There are going to be three teams: fighters, stealth and logistics. Fighters are the ones who will be straight on the battlefield, causing distractions and fending off all of the baddies. Stealth are going to be a type of back up. They are going to find the source of the power and the Jewels while the fighters distract them. If we are caught at least we have a Plan B to save our butts. Logistics are the ones who stay behind and monitor us from a distance in a nearby village as a Plan C. They give us intel on who and where we should go, and deploy drones for a last resort. While on the field, we will be split up into smaller groups of two since we have a wide space to explore."

"Who's gonna do what?" Tiana asked from the back.

"Ariel and Eric will stay here at the palace to send an emergency message to the rest of our nations for back up if we are desperate. If anyone wants to stay behind, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Shuri could see Kristoff lifting up his hand just to be swatted down by Anna. She hid a smile.

"Kida, Belle and I are going to be the leaders of each section. Kida is fighters. I would have been logistics, but Belle is still in recovery so I will be stealth and she will take my place.

"Those under Kida's command will be Mulan and Shang, Elsa and Jasmine, Rapunzel and Eugene, and Moana with Pocahontas. Phillipe will join Kida. My guards will be joining you in the front."

"What about me?" Merida pipped up from the back.

"You will join me in stealth," Shuri replied. "There will no doubt be enemies milling about the place and taking them out silently to clear the path will be more productive than running in guns blazing."

Merida was a bit disappointed at the position, Shuri could see that by the way she slouched back in her chair.

"The others will be Tiana and Naveen, Anna and Kristoff, Cinderella and…" _What is his name! I never remember it_ "And her husband will join me."

"Are you sure that is a good idea?" Cinderella's face lived up to her name. "I mean I am pretty useless in battle."

"You will have the gadgets to make up for that." Shuri said. "Anyway you have…your husband alongside you."

"Why do you keep referring me as her…?" Prince Charming began but was quickly and smoothly cut off by Belle.

"The rest of you are with me in the background. Everybody clear?"

"Yes!" They replied in unison.

"Great," Shuri smiled. "Let's get to my favourite part: Dress up."


	18. Deadly Beautiful

"This is not how I expected the lab to look." Anna said as she entered the room. Everyone else gawped in awe of the scale of the room, but not Anna. She was sulking at the entrance of the lab.

"What were you expecting?" Cinderella whispered.

"Something a bit more…sci-fy, ya know. Beeping machines that are more for aesthetic than function; not so minimalist with a few tables and a computer. Also a whiter slash greyer colour scheme"

Anna felt a hand touching her shoulder. She looked to her left to see her sister smiling.

"If you are going to watch 1970's crappy space operas on a continue basis, you are going to be disappointed."

"Hey, Star Wars is a classic!" Anna retorted.

"Keep telling yourself that."

"Shhhh, guys," Rapunzel interrupted, "Shuri is about to tell us give us our costumes."

Kida, Shuri and Belle congregated to the middle of the room. Surrounding them in a haphazard semi-circle, cardboard boxes with chicken-scrawled handwriting lay upon each other like the last few goes at Jingo game: any wrong movement and the whole set-up would topple on them.

Shuri cleared her voice to quiet the chattering around her. She cautiously turned around her and reached for the first box. Everyone held their breath when the tower made a dangerous swing, but it was quickly stabilised by Kida and Belle.

Shuri squinted at the writing. "Ok, it looks like the first up is Meerga?"

"Merida." Belle whispered.

"Oh sorry, Merida. Come up here."

Merida pushed everyone a side in a confidence that only the Scotts could pull off. Shuri put the box on the table in front of everyone and lifted the first item out of the box: a Vibranium bow, with engraved symbols and an assortment of different arrows in a leather quiver.

She handed it over to the gaping Merida, who held it and ran her fingers across the outer rim. A blue light shone in their wake. Everybody else stretched their heads desperately to see what is going on.

"You have just imprinted the bow. This means that if anyone else touches it…wait, it is easier with a practical example. Uhhh…" She looks around the room and her eyes fell on Shang. She gave a thoughtful smile. Belle and Kida realized what she was about to do.

"Uh Shuri…do you think…"

"That it is a good idea. Yeah, I do. Shang, be a darling and come up here and help demonstrate with Merida."

Shang smiled an unknowing smile as he strode up to where they stood. Shuri hastily pulled out her phone and pointed and pressed record. Belle and Kida were about to move, but Shuri just held her hand up. They stopped.

"Take one of those over there." She pointed to the grey-tipped arrow. "And aim it at the chemical supply room. Oh and you might want to move into the open space there."

He did what he was asked. Once he stretched the piece of leather back and it locked, turning a ruby red. Shuri tried to hold back a giggle that was escaping her lips.

Shang released the taut string only for the arrow to stay put. A bemused look crossed everyone's face. Well that was until five seconds later when the grey tip turned the same red and pulsed. Time seemed to slow as the arrow exploded, sending Shang back five feet back. He skidded on the floor until he bumped against the wall.

Shuri let out the laugh she was holding back. No-one else joined instantly, but soon Merida began to laugh, then Anna, then both Kida and Belle. One, by one they began laughing, even Mulan couldn't hold back a smile.

"Yeah, yeah laugh all you want" Shang mumbled. "Just you wait, Shuri, I will get you back."

"Sure you will. Bast, I haven't laughed this hard since I played the same trick on T'Challa." Shuri called out. Tears were actually forming in her eyes. She turned to Merida. "As you saw, the bow will not respond to anyone but you. If the enemy picks it up and tries to use it on you, you will buy yourself a bit of time. It will only work on the custom made arrows, though, which are the explosive ones with the grey tips, the green ones which are toxic when comes in contact with an object, the red ones which are like the explosive ones but are lethal. Of course you have your standard arrows that is better for stealth."

"Oh, my God! Thank you!" She smiled as she picked up the quiver.

"Don't forget this!" She handed over a standard black skin-tight jacket and pants. "It is designed for easy movability and protection. I hope you won't have a problem."

Merida took the suit, to distracted by her new toy to respond. Shuri hoped that everybody else would have the same response.

She pulled down the next box.

"Next up is Tiana and Naveen."

They gave each other a wary look before they came up.

"You two will like what I have in store." She opened it up to show a dark green, glistening suit. Tiana poked it with her finger as if it were dead squirrel about to come to life. Nothing happened and she shrugged her shoulder. She and he husband pulled it out.

"They are made based on your experience of being an amphibian. Once you get in the suit your body heat would stimulate a toxic mucus. It will eat through anything that touches your suit. Plus it has an extra component. I stole an idea from that Spider-kid in New York. On your wrist you can shoot a thick mucus that can cling onto anything. It can support your weight so if you need a quick escape, then you can swing into the middle distance."

"Wow. I am impressed." Naveen said. "It is quite brilliant."

"Thanks. It is a gift. Now the next lot is…Elsa!"

The Queen walked up to the table like the rest of them.

"Now I know you have ice and magical powers, I think I have developed a way to harness them better. Your suit, ma'am."

Elsa opened up the box to show a dress not unlike the one she was wearing, but it had a cowl and an elaborate mask

"It has Vibranium woven into it for strength, but I noticed that you have the ability to change clothing. So I thought that maybe you can blend into your surroundings. This cloak and mask should cover your whole body while being comfortable. There are gloves that cover your hands, but don't worry, they don't inhibit your powers, rather concentrates them."

Elsa stood in awe of the crafted fabric. The shimmering fabric was quite hypnotizing.

"Thank you."

Shuri gave a nod and summoned the next up.

XXX

Moana was the next up. She had a gem that looked exactly like Tafiti's heart. When she strung it around her neck, it pulsed a green and like her brother's suit, it morphed into a Vibranium suit. It was skin tight and matched her skin tone so she could still wear the wrap around her waist. The stone could summon water from the air and onto her hands. I would be a good idea that it is used as a last resort, since it was so dry there.

She was given a paddle that was really a deadly double-edged sword. It could be used as a spring to cross large gaps if need be, and the hook at the end was a grapple.

"This is so awesome! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

"What can I say except you're welcome."

XXX

The rest quickly got their things. Cinderella and her husband had objects that could change into different items when needed. Shuri thought that Rapunzel and Eugene having a Vibranium pan that doubled as a shield was hilarious. They didn't mind. Mulan and Shang, once he recovered, had typical Chinese uniforms, but with cooler gadgets, like the fan double as a boomerang. Anna and Kristoff had mini-ice cubes that could knock out an elephant.

Pocahontas had electric bracelets that when used mimicked wind and could fling people back a couple of yards. Jasmine's cloak was actually a thin version of the magic carpet and propelled her into the sky and act as a parachute if needed. Aurora and Philip had bombs that knocked people into a deep sleep. Snow and her hubbie had the same thing, but with an explosive apple.

Everyone was ecstatic about their knick-knacks and whatnots. Shuri finally turned to the remaining four people.

Milo was given a basic spear and suit. His glasses were swapped for a more technologically advance ones that could connect with Kida's earpiece. Kida had a spear not unlike the Dora Milaje's ones. She had an amulet that was only to be used at the last moment necessary when all plans failed. It was a bomb that would kill everything in a ten mile radius.

"I would rather we die than the whole world."

Kida nodded knowing that that was a possibility. She hated knowing that that was a possibility.

"Last, but not least Belle and Adam!" She smiled at them. She pulled out the last box from under the table.

"You two have the crème de la crème of the resources, but hope to hell that you will never use them." She pulled out a potion.

"This is a bit of the supersoldier serum left from Bruce Banner's attempt. If drunk, you shall revert back to Beast. Now, I'm not saying that you should drink it, but if you are surrounded by twenty enemy personal and have no hope of escaping, it might buy you and the other's some time. Be warned, though, if you take it, there is a 99.9999999% chance that you will stay that way forever. Whenever you are angry you will turn into Beast. Understood?"

Adam nodded as he gingerly took the potion away from Shuri.

"You sure have many back-up plans." Adam said.

"Well, you never know. I would rather go into battle over prepared than under. Call it paranoia. Here is your suit." She handed over the box.

"Thanks."

"Sure." She winked at him.

"And what about me?" Belle asked.

"Here," Shuri opened the last box. Inside were metallic rosebuds. "These are perhaps my favourite because made them when I was half asleep and I do not know exactly what they do. Some of them will daze the enemy, while others can fall in love with you. I pretty sure one of them turns the victim into a Pokèmon. I suppose it is the luck of the draw. All you need to do is aim the sharp ends as if it were darts at exposed skin. It should at least cause tremendous pain."

"This is rather amazing. How do you even do half this stuff? I mean we are not exactly as technologically advanced as you are."

"I used all of the resources in the bags that I brought in. I had a feeling that I was summoned for a good reason. Plus the plane we stole back was filled with weaponry. I think they were stocking up if they needed to make an emergency exit."

"That is what I am worried about. I know you have last resort plans, but they all seem to end really badly. My husband could go insane, we could dry up the whole of Namibia or we could kill ourselves and the innocent bystanders in the city."

"Well it is better than a Trump-wannabe trying to take over the world." Shuri said as she unpacked small vials of golden liquid.

"That is true. Hey are those…?"

Shuri grinned. "They are indeed. I did synthesise a rough mixture that did not need a song sung to it to be of use. Imagine after this we could cure many diseases. Talking of which, why didn't you try to use it on yourself."

Belle's mouth shaped into an 'o'. "I actually did not think of that. I was too busy dying, I suppose. Or I was trying not to."

"That is no excuse." Shuri shoved a box of the shiny liquid into her friend's arms "Anyway let's deliver these around and suit up. We better have some lunch before we go because I don't know when we will have a hearty meal again."


	19. Arabian Nights

They were packed like a tin of sardines as they flew across the continent of Africa. The lack of oxygen caused most of them to fall asleep or feel dizzy, especially in those who very rarely flew long distances. Snow and Cinders clasped onto each other, their faces an ashen white going on green. This was especially terrible when the jet hit turbulence.

When the plane neared the mountain range, the feeling of relief was swiftly replaced with the twisted feeling anxiety and fear.

The Auras Mountains, once beautiful with the rust brown soil and dotted with dust-green bushes. The mountains had a lines of varying shades of rose-pink when the sun moved across the sky. But now…now it was a maelstrom of black and deep purple. It looked like a scene from a low budget film, with lighting and darkness surrounding only that area, while the city was in pure golden rays of sunlight.

"Oh, the spirits help us." Kida whispered as she leaned over the cockpit. Shuri prayed to Bast, not caring if her prays would be heard. The idea of it settled her stomach a little.

This would be the first time she initiated combat. Usually she would just await in the background, giving advice while her brother would do the heavy combat, except for that last time when Killmonger invaded Wakanda. But still then she was not in the centre. Now she was the commander of these woman, everyone is relying on her. Okoye was relying on her with the other warriors under her command. Shuri would not be able to forgive herself if any harm came to them because of faulty weapons or not providing enough of them. It was all on her now.

The jet landed nearby the centre of the trouble. It was a difficult landing but no-one was hurt.

The fighters and stealth exited the jet, trying to get used to the wide space and stable ground. They did not have much time, though before Shuri ordered them into their pairs.

After a quick shuffle with each pair into the three groups they were assigned, Shuri stepped forward hands trembling. She cleared her throat, not that it helped much. Her voice squeaked as she spoke. It didn't help with all of her friend's eyes staring at her.

A hand squeezed hers and Shuri looked up to see an encouraging smile of Belle. Kida walked forward and put her hand on her back. A slight surge of confidence rushed through her.

"I'm not usually the one to make rousing speeches that makes you want to kick ass. I'm not usually the one who is on the battlefield unless it is necessary, but today is that day. I am proud of each and everyone of you that you want to undertake this dangerous mission; I am proud that if I am going to die today that I will be surrounded by amazing, strong-willed women, and men, who would put those Avengers to shame. We are going to save the world from whatever is in there," she pointed to the eye of the storm, "even if no-one will remember us or congratulate our efforts. So let's us do what we were born to do: fight for our people, the people who rely on us!"

There was a cheer that surrounded her. Whopping and whistles ensued.

"Now they can take our lives, but they can never take our freedom! Let's fight!"

The pairs cheered again and ran off into the different directions. Shuri should have stopped them to give them a bit of direction, but she decided to leave them.

 _I'm sure…I hope…they will be alright…_

She looked behind at the remaining lot and gave them a grin.

"Good luck." Belle called.

"I hope to Bast that is true. Come on, Merida. You want action, well you are going to get action."

XXX

Shuri was nervous at the fact that there was no-one around. This probably meant that she was walking straight into an ambush. Merida, from the look on her face, was saying the same thing. Her bow was taut, ready to shot an exploding arrow if necessary.

"I have a bad feeling about this." Shuri whispered as they picked their way through the scrub. Her skin was tingling from the static in the air. It was not like normal lightening storm, this was quite magical electricity in the air.

A flash of light radiated from the centre of the maelstrom. In the night sky, Shuri could see the planets a line.

Merida and Shuri gave each other a look before they sprinted. They did not give a second thought to caution, which, they found out, was a terrible mistake.

XXX

 _Master! Master!_

 _Malikai, I told you not to interrupt me! This is a delicate process that needs my full concentration!_

 _Yes Master, I understand, but that girl from Wakanda has arrived with backup. One of my soldiers heard them coming up this way._

 _Well, Malikai, do what you have to do to get rid of them. I am not going to have my ritual interrupted by a simple-minded girl and her playmates._

 _Yes, Master, I will send the Warriors of Ayliden._

XXX

"You are surrounded by enemy targets." Belle said through the intercom to the fighters and the stealth. Everyone stopped immediately.

The groups surrounded the perimeter of the area in a perfect circle. Each pair was not close enough to fight each next to each other, which meant they were secluded from any back-ups.

"How many?" Shuri asked as she and Merida stood back to back and slow walked around in a circle. It was impossible to see in the dark, even though there was only a plateau for miles around them. Shuri could see the guard and the figure from the video that Kida sent her. They were so close.

"Well…there are too many to count. There are just red dots everywhere."

"Tha…"

Shuri did not have time to finish her sentence before three and two women jumped them. In the distance she heard a battle cry that was not familiar to her. Screams from her fellow soldiers echoed after the noises. Merida shot her arrows at the opponents and she managed to blow back a few of them, but they managed to jump up again without a scratch.

Shuri threw the electric discs at one of the females, but she dodged them easily. She had a spear in her hand and stabbed it at her. Shuri managed to jump out just in time, only to be hit by another. She was flung to the ground. The spear was raised above her head. Shuri closed her eyes and hoped that Bast would take her quickly when the figure was hit on the head. It was knocked out.

Okoye appeared behind the slumped body.

"I'm saving your ass, again." She bent down and held her hand out. Shuri grinned as she grabbed her hand.

"You go and stop the man, we will keep them back."

Shuri looked around at the waves of enemies. Okoye pushed her away towards the centre.

"Go! Now!"

Shuri gave her one more look before running. Okoye threw her spear back to knock out a man behind her. She knew not to try and kill them, for she recognised many of her own warriors as the spirits' vessels. If she could try, she will save as many as she can.

XXX

The closer she got to the centre of the maelstrom, the more force of magic she felt pushing her away. She struggled, through even if it drained all of her energy. At one point Belle was trying to contact her, but there was only static in her ear. Shuri threw the device onto the ground after the consistent buzzing gave contributed to her headache.

Suddenly all of the resistance stopped and Shuri fell onto the ground. She lay down, allowing the throbbing in her head to reside. She was grateful for her Vibranium suit.

With shaking hands, she pushed herself onto her feet. Through observing her surroundings, she gathered her thoughts and her direction.

The man, the "Master", the Traveller, the Lover, whatever his name was, was not alerted to her presence. He was standing, hands raised and legs on sturdy ground, deep within his own ritual and the power that surrounded them. He mumbled ancient words. It took Shuri a few seconds to realise that each Jewel lighted up when he continued to mutter.

 _I have to distract him. But how? He is powerful enough to kill me, and he must have his own force-shield around him._

She cast her eyes down the dress of the man. He was out of his guard uniform and into peasant robes. The course, dust-brown fabric hung loosely down his body; his head was covered with a cheaply made turban. It was confusing; this man had the power of the Jewels, yet he still dressed as commoner on the streets.

There was no protection whatsoever. She dug into her satchel where she pulled out one of Belle's darts. She kept it just in case of an emergency. What? She had a back-up plan for her other back-up plans.

She aimed the rose-headed dart towards the man. Shuri pulled her arm back and threw it towards the bare neck of the man. Her aim was on point, but her dart was stopped in mid-air, about an inch between the robed man's neck.

Two skeletal fingers pinched the sides of the poisoned tip and snapped it in half. The recognisable corpse of the servant, Malikai, if she remembered correctly, turned its head and faced Shuri. She, in all of her medical training, had never seen something so terrifying.

It was made up of flesh and bones, and nothing more. There were not even eyes in its sockets. Fear gripped her stomach as she tried to walk confidently towards Malikai. A horrific half grin crossed its face as it strode towards Shuri.

"Well, well, well…" it sneered, "I finally get to meet the miraculous Princess Shuri of Wakanda, super scientist, engineer extraordinaire, and an absolute pain in my behind. I hear that you managed to cure a patient from Death because of your marvellous skill."

Shuri kept her mouth shut. She knew if she opened her mouth, a lot more than words would fall out of it.

"She is mute! I did not expect that from an infamous sarcastic silver-tongue. But I am not complaining, because that means I can tell you about the plans Master has in mind. Maybe, just maybe, I can open up your blind eyes to a world of possibility."

Malikai put another step forward, but Shuri dare not move. She was trying to think of a way to destroy this…this…whatever this is. The monologue might buy her some time before her head goes on the chopping block.

Luck answered her prayers quickly because a shimmer caught the corner of her eye. When the servant's back was turned, she cast her eyes to the side.

On the ground, panting was the visible form of Elsa. She must have used the invisibility coat wisely and managed to get away from the fight to help Shuri.

Elsa looked up and gave Shuri a wink; her fingers lifted to her lips before disappearing again. She needed to distract Malikai for at least five minutes. And how to you get a villain to be distracted? Monologue!

"Tell me, Jack Skellington, your and Ben Kenobi over there's life story." Shuri managed to say drily.

"Since you asked so nicely, I will tell you." He practically jumped with joy. You see, I was once an ordinary boy. I lived an ordinary life right up to the day I died. When I breathed my final breath, a figure came to me. They said that I could live a longer life, a more adventurous life, if I pledged my soul over to them. I said yes in my last heartbeat. The figure turned out to be Death himself. He needed more servants to help him reap souls. And I have not regretted it."

"So that man over there is Death?" Shuri asked, confused. Why would Death need to raise a powerful being? He is Death!

"Oh no. You see after a few centuries, I had to reap a soul. His name is lost to the sands of time, but that does not matter. He goes by many names now, since his story has been recited through different versions throughout the ages. Each one holding only a grain of truth amongst the embellishments. The most popular, though is the Traveller."

 _So we were right! I knew it!_

"His story is a sad one, full of pain and sorrow, but after tonight it will end sweetly. It all began on a searing day in the desert…"


	20. Nothing but the Truth

He had lived with his love, the Genie, for nearly a year. It is true what the stories say: he made a deal to never see the light of the sun again. And he was happy with that agreement. He was happy that he didn't see any of his family or friends again. He forgot about them as time went by, but…but they did not forget about him.

His father, mother and three brothers became worried when they did not receive word about him, so they trekked across the same trail that he had followed.

For many days and nights, they pushed against the harsh climate, fought off any monsters in their way and were nearly about to die of thirst when they saw a cave with a blocked-off entrance. When they neared it, they heard voices from within. His family's hearts filled with joy at the prospect that they might just survive.

They pushed the stone to the side with the last bit of effort they could muster, to find the man they were looking for, sitting in an elaborately decorated chamber. All around him were bowls filled of fresh fruit and juicy meats. Water fell freely down the stone wall into a clean pool of crisp, fresh water.

The most shocking of it all was their brother, their son, was laughing cheerfully next to the giant green-skinned Genie. He was not frightened, or phased, nor did he even notice their appearance. He was too deep in an intellectual conversation to acknowledge them.

What ensued was not a pretty sight.

His father bashed through the setting to pull his son away. Caught off-guard by his sudden arrival, Genie and Traveller were too shocked to even fight back at first, but he pushed his father back and ran back to his lover's arms, needing some warm comfort.

"Son, what is going on!?" His father exclaimed, angry and confused at the same time. They had trekked across the most dangerous lands of the known world, fought against the deadliest of monsters, nearly dying against the harsh elements that the gods could throw at them, and their ungrateful son could not even summon the effort to say a kind word or a warm hug.

The Traveller cowered in the corner. There was a reason he went on the journey in the first place: to get away from his past, his family. They, you see, were men and women of tradition. Marriage at a young age was expected, and there were not with the same sex as the person. Work stayed within the family business, which happened to be a labourious twelve-hour day in a tannery. He did not want that life; he wanted adventure, a life where he lived by his own rules and no-one else's. So he told his family that he would venture to the opposite side of the Known-World to fetch a rare skin that would provide a lot of money for his family. Of course, they let him go; money was the next highest thing from family.

They were worried when he did not contact them after a while. They were not worried because he was their oldest son, but how much money they would have lost from the deal. They needed this if they were going to have a wealthy retirement.

The Traveller explained this in a hurried fashion as he leaned more into the Genie for comfort and safety. Alas, this did not help in the long run.

With each sentence said, they became more and more angry, feeling cheated by there own flesh and blood for a… _Jinn_. A male one at that.

Instead of talking rationally, they began firing the last of their arrows and stabbing with their daggers. They hit the Genie first, who intentionally covered the Traveller, since he was a creature of immense strength. But it doesn't mean that it didn't hurt him a whole lot. Genie doubled over and fell to the floor, exposing his partner. The Traveller's family dragged him towards the opening of the cave, totally unaware of the pact that he made. The Genie was still alive; thus, their deal was still in effect.

Once the Traveller touched the rays of the sun, he disintegrated, his flesh and bones nothing more than a pile of ash and dust. Their family were aghast at what happened to their member.

They turned to the Genie, blood boiling. They all concluded that this was all the Genie's doing: he was the one who hypnotised their relative, forcing him to spill dribble about his false mission to keep him to himself. The father charged towards the Genie in a fit of rage, fling aside all of the delicacies surrounding them, tearing down the tapestries and silk that clothed the dull wall. He drew a sword from a jewelled scabbard nearby him and swung it at the Genie's neck. A being made from smoke and fire should not have fallen to a mortal weapon, but from the months spent by his lover, he became mortal in nature. His body solidified in a more defined shape, and teleportation became harder to do.

He disappeared in a blink of an eye, and would have been hidden under the ground where he was created. He could be summoned, but only at a very specific night that happened every thousand years or so.

The men, unphased by the events, refuelled and restocked. They went on their way without a second look at what was once their son. The boy's mother, though, still loved him, and believed that he deserved more than this ending. She scoped up the remains into a jar, then caught up with her family. When she arrived home, she requested to a friend to take the ash and convert it into something beautiful, which happened to be glass balls. Her friend's business was glass blasting, a very rare and highly sort after profession.

Her friend turned out to be more invested in money than emotions and sold it to wealthy merchants, each from every continent and corner of the earth. They brought it back with them, which explains the Jewels.

While, his family journeyed back, I came to reap his soul. He cried out in protest and fury at this unfair Death, claiming it was not his time to die. And it wasn't. My Master joined me and offered the same deal as me, except of becoming eternally immortal in exchange of reaping, he offered clues to a way to save his love. A year hence the Genie's rise from the ground, he would die forever, never to meet him again, or cross paths. Of course the Traveller agreed to the deal. He would have agreed if he was only given one minute to say good-bye.

Over time, the Traveller became tired of the continuous riddles that made no sense. He devised a plan to capture Death. How he did it, I do not know, and it is not my place to ask, but he did. He said he would release him when his plan came into being, and when Death promised eternity with his love. Death said that it was messing around with the balance of the universe, or something like that, but I don't believe that. He is in fact correcting the faults caused by his family and he can finally wreak revenge on his descendants and all of those who are friends with them.

Look, you have come in time to see the full show!


	21. Face Swap

Malikai gave a flourishing bow and a skeletal grin. Everything started to make sense. How the stories inter-merged together about the Traveller and his Genie. It made sense that the motive behind all of this is because a man is searching high and low for a lost love and would risk blackmailing Death himself just to see his one and true soul mate again. A slight sensation of pity welled up inside of her. However, that sense of pity soon changed into fear when she realised what the Skeleton meant by 'correcting the faults of his family'. An anger unchecked for centuries, building up by hunger for revenge on his own kin, would cause catastrophic consequences for the world around them.

Shuri tried to run forward to stop Malikai, but before she could even move a calf muscle forward, she was flung back at a force of a great typhon against a boulder. An audible _pop_ was heard from her shoulder as she hit the rock. A flood of pain washed through her nerves from the top of her dislocated collar bone all away down her arm to the tingling tips of her fingers. This feeling was not for long, since she happened to bash her head against a sharp point on the rock. The world went a dark grey for her, slowly gaining darkness as she lost consciousness.

XXX

At this very instant as well, Elsa was lurking in the background, figuring out how she could stop a mighty force such as this, all by herself. Even with the power of the invisible cloak, she did not, in her opinion, have enough power to take over two undead beings by herself.

When Shuri hit the rock, Elsa had to take everything in her to not screaming out in fear. She had the urge to run to her friend and to help her, but she would have to betray her cover, and maybe blowing the whole mission. But she could not leave her to die, not like this. This was not her time, not now, not in any time in the foreseeable future. She was only sixteen for goodness sake and Elsa was refusing to see another one of her sisters, even if she wasn't blood, die because of her foolish timidness. She looked towards the plainly dressed figure, speaking words of ancient times past to summon his soul mate and the corpse of a man catering to his every whim. They disgusted her in ways she could not describe. Elsa glanced towards the dying Shuri, when she remembered something: the glass vial in her pocket. The one made from the tears of Rapunzel. If it could save a man from actual death, then it was good enough for her.

Elsa made a run towards her friend, vial of golden liquid in one hand, and a glimmer of hope in her heart.

Or it would have been if she did not trip over a snake-like root, barely peaking its head above the ground. The vial flew into the air, and like the movies, it was almost like in slow motion as one would see in the movies. She reached out for it, letting out a yell, and her skin coming visible. Her fingers were close enough to touch…

XXX

"Uh Belle, we have a problem." Snow said, her voice quivering.

Belle strode over to the computer where Snow sat, looking in the direction that her finger was pointing to.

On the florescent light of the blue screen, she saw multiple bogies, represented by red dots, clustering around their area. It had seemed that some of the spirits managed to get past the Fighters and closing onto the eyes and ears of the force.

A pit grew in Belle's stomach. After she had lost contact with Shuri, things began to go wrong for the logistics team. Electrical weapons and equipment began to fail. Belle had lost contact with over half the team and the other half's end were only grunts and war cries. The could not direct anyone, for who could listen? The teams were like fish in a barrel, waiting for the inevitable. Most of the princesses had taken tearing up pieces of naked fabric to calm their nervous fingers.

But not Belle.

She was not going to let a trivial thing like losing contact to the team let her down, and being surrounded was just a setback. Shuri had given her enough weapons to hold them off until she could reach HQ.

"Cinderella, contact Ariel immediately! It looks like we are going to need to deploy Plan Bravo."

"Yes Ma'am!" Cinders exclaimed as she began the process of wiring through to the Palace. Her fingers flew across the keyboard. Belle paced up and down until she heard the voice of Ariel on the other side.

"I really thought you would last longer than this. Not all of the deployment weapons are ready. You are going to have to hold them off for at least two hours."

"Two hours!" Belle flung her hands in the air in exasperation. "How are we suppose to hold a bunch of anger-induced spirits at bay for a whole two hours?!"

"Look, we are working over time here." Ariel's voice sounded frustrated over the radio. "It is not an easy task that we are trying to achieve here. I am barely managing it as it is with the baby and all, and the lower order members are losing their minds over this whole event. It is difficult to keep them on track…"

The quality of Ariel's voice changed into crackling static. Barely any pieces managed to flow through clearly enough to make out what the any of the words meant.

"Ariel? Ariel? Can you still hear me? ARIEL!" Belle called into the receiver, but nothing except the sizzling of the radio waves. At the same moments, the lights began to flicker. Everybody looked up instantaneously towards the dying lightbulb, realising that if that goes out, that means the spirts had intercepted the power, and if they managed that…well it meant that they were close enough to do some serious damaged.

Belle crossed her fingers and gave a silent pray to whoever was listening to give them a break, just to at least leave one light on, any light would do. She did get it, but not from the source she had hoped.

A loud explosion rattled them all to the bones. Flashes of red light from the emergency back-up generator blared through the whole jet. The remaining people who were left behind, automatically huddled into a group. Adam immediately stood in front of his wife, who did not see the serum in his left hand. He would take it, and he knew he would take it, it was only a matter of time. The last thing he wanted though, would be the horror on his friends' faces when they realised what he would do.

Belle grabbed the darts that Shuri gave her, readying herself if need be. It would be needed, for she heard a dreaded _clink, clink, clink_ of high-heels stomping onto the ground. The sound, it was familiar to Belle, like she had heard it a million times before.

Appearing up the entrance of the plane was a face no-one was excepting. A white coat now splattered with brown stains swiftly dragged behind her, as if she was a royal. Her greying hair had shown through months of neglect from dye and scissors. A face once pasted with a friendly smile, showed only a sadistic grin.

It was the face of Doctor Marie Wayland, her doctor who declared her barren.


	22. The Beast Within

"Oh my…" Belle gasped. Her hand clasped onto Adam's shoulder as her knees gave way. Her friends quickly surrounded her, supporting her with one hand while their other hands clutched their weapons tightly. Snow's breathing hitched as she griped her apple bomb, a bomb that when thrown it would cause a smoke distraction. The smoke would release a sleeping gas that would knock out an adult elephant. As one might expect, it was also a last resort.

"Yes, darling, it is me." She clicked her fingers and one of the spirts from behind her took one step forward and placed a cigarette between her fingers. She snapped her left hand and the tip of the cigarette spontaneously burst into flames. "Well, not exactly, _me,_ me. Dr Wayland me; the one that was once a thermostat for about twenty years. I am the new and approved one. The one with a bit of personality and actual charisma. You must feel absolutely foolish that you did not notice the subtle changes.

Belle had flashes of the past through her head and it was like a light blinked on about the past. She had, you see, repressed all memories about her time when she was ill. A portion of her brain opened the blockade and allowed the forgotten past to break through.

There was a scene from the first day at the doctors for the test results. She noticed something different in the old lady's posture. Instead of a hunched back she strode in with an unusual confidence. Her stride was quick and long, as if her old bones had reversed in time and strengthen in a suddenly short time.

But Belle was too nervous about her results to even comment on the change of persona. Her life was about to change in a single sentence.

"You are unable to bear children." The voice was deadpan, not even prepared to break the news carefully. Dr Wayland was an old battleaxe, no sympathy if you broke all of your bones from a battle, but for something like this she would be a bit kinder, provide a pillow to cushion the tough blow.

Belle snapped back from the awful memory into the reality of her circumstances.

"Who _are_ you?" She did not even try to keep back the bitterness.

"Oh, my name is about fifteen syllables long with letters long gone from this language, but if you really want a name to a face you may call me Mistress of Darkness, MD if you want to enjoy the irony."

Belle's blood pounded through her ears. Fear was replaced with anger. She lifted the dart and aimed it between the spirit's eyes. When she pulled back, a force swept across her clenched fist, driving the darts from it and into the wall of the jet behind her.

The Mistress took a long drag of the cigarette and threw it on the floor, stamping it with her foot. A gruff laugh emanated from her throat; a demonic laugh that no one had the pleasure of hearing.

"Nah, nah, nah," Mistress of Darkness waggled her finger. "You don't want to do that. Miss Nursie is still in this body and just one of those poison darts would kill her, but not me. I can just inhabit one of your friends. And anyway, don't you want to know my part in this whole scheme?"

"I am in no mood for a monologue. Nobody has the time for that, unless it is your plan to bore us to death."

"Oh, honey, I know deep down in that sickly-sweet heart, you want to know the whole story. Did you think that we did not know about your little fan club? I knew you could be our downfall, but you could be the one who brings our plan to a quick close. It was my idea to bestow onto you that tiny lie. I was going, of course put a few curses and hexes, but it seemed your sadness did my job for me. I must thank you for that."

Belle grumbled. Adam clutched onto her suit to stop her from rushing forward.

 _She needs to talk, it will buy us time._ Adam thought. He caught her eye, hoping that his wife understood his idea. She did, for they communicated in a way that only loved ones understood.

"I am so glad you accept my gratitude." The sarcasm was thick in her voice. Belle felt her stomach clench to prevent herself from rushing forward with a battle cry. "Anyway, it was fun to begin with. You being the heart and soul of the group meant that it started to crumble at its foundations. You all began to grow a little flabby and more political. None of you had that spark that you once had in your younger days. It was perfect. Jewels could be taken as if it were candy from a baby.

"But do you know what was even more perfect. Shuri and Wakanda open for business. We had heard rumours about the last Jewel being sent to that poor country, but we do not run on rumours, until we saw the richness of the country. A Jewel was only fit for a King, or a Queen in this case. Stealing the Jewels, with a help of planting a seed of an idea in Elsa's mind, created the perfect reason for your little friend to join your party. We had the place to ourselves."

"Well it did not work!" Belle said proudly. "We found out your plan before the day was out. We even escaped your little trick."

"Oh, that may be true. We did not expect the escape, but we did set up the perfect plan. I sped up your cancer to almost fatal. This forced the goodness of Shuri to bring you to us. Do you really think that a sixteen-year old girl, no matter how fancy her equipment is, could cure you in a matter of hours? Don't be ridiculous! We gave her a helping hand. We did not, however, expect her to prove your healthiness to have a baby. Nor did we expect her to be so resilient. That was just a setback. We managed to get it in the end…"

She continued to go on and on about how wonderful their plans were executed. Adam stopped listening after how his wife's life was purely in the hands of this…thing. He felt a little grateful, until he remembered it was their fault in the first place.

He knew what he had to do. He grabbed the apple from Snow's hand and threw it at the spirits. The sudden confusion gave them time.

"Run now!" He ordered. He pushed his friends away from them as he stepped back. They ran, pushing the spirits away after they got over their sudden shock. There was no time to experiment with knives and toys; they just had to get out of there.

Belle stayed behind though. She was not about to lose her husband. Not for the safety of the world.

"You need to go…now!"

"No, I am not leaving you." Tears ran down her cheek.

"Please, I do not want you to see me like that again. I need you to be safe. I can handle it."

She looked down at the bottle. An idea formed in her head. She never felt stronger than she did at that moment.

"No, you go." She said as she grabbed the vial and chugged the potion.

Adam felt his stomach drop. "Noooooooooo!" He tried to grab at it but it was too late. She had had every single drop.

At first there was nothing; a slight sickening feeling that was all.

"Maybe it doesn't…"

It did all right.


	23. Rising from the Depths

On the other side of the mountain, stealth and fighters were having their own problems. There were just too many of the spirits to overcome without permanently disfiguring the vessels forever.

Tiana and Naveen were starting to finish the last of their slime missiles, Merida was on her last arrow, and those with short-range weapons were founding themselves surrounded with no chance of escaping.

Moana saw the commotion around her, realising it was now time to use her last resort: something she never wanted to have in the first place, but if it meant that she could save those whom she loved, then it was a risk worth taking.

She took her paddle and aimed it at the rock face above her. She shot the grapple and flung herself up onto the cliff. Sweat poured down her face as she clutched the necklace around her neck and prayed to the Ocean for protection.

She raised her other hand towards the fight down below. The wind raised slightly and whipped her hair around her neck. A chill ran down her shoulders to her hand that clutched the now glowing pendent.

All around her molecules of water were sucked out of the air. Plants slowly started to wilt as a mass of liquid gather at the palm of her hand.

The spirits at the bottom of the cliff noticed the sudden change in the humidity of the air. A tactile dryness hung over them as they slowed down to a halt. The water was not just sucked up from the air and plants, it was also absorbed from the skin.

Moana did not notice her own skin drying up as she gathered more and more water from her surroundings. Her only focus was the task at hand.

The world around them began to die. There was not much in it to start out with, but now, there wasn't even that.

 _Just a little more…_ Moana squeezed her eyes shut as she struggled with adding the last bit of water to the growing monolith of water in front of her. The tower continued to grow to a tremendous height. From an observer from the town, it would look like a whirlpooling tornado whipping about the rock.

While the spirits were distracted, her teammates knew what would happen to them if they did not turn their tails and run back to the jet. Moana took this opening and, with all her might, she forced the blockade of water to crash down onto the watching crowd down below.

They should have expected such a thing, but shock can still affect those under a spell. The water rushed towards them like a violent rainstorm. There was no time for screams before the stream hit them with a force of a great tycoon. This gave the team time to gather their thoughts before they decided on the best course of action.

The bodies were simply washed further away, not harmed, only stunned enough for an extra few minutes to themselves.

"I think," Shang panted as he grouped around the others. "We need to focus our strength rather on the mission than a distraction."

"I second that," Kida said. "If we nip the problem at the bud, we will need not to worry about them."

There was a murmur of agreement all around.

"So, it is settled." Okoye sheathed her spear. "But as we saw, it is not a good idea to run in without a plan of some sorts."

Kida was about to open her mouth when in the distance, from the direction of the jet, a scream was heard.

All heads turned to face across the flat plains to where the jet lay. They thought it strange, the fact that it was not invisible open for everyone to see. Running figures of their own people poured out from the entrance into the veld. They waved their hands, begging through their bodies for some kind of help.

"What the…" Merida whispered, cut off by a loud roar piercing through the night sky. This encouraged the logistics team to run even faster to get to the fighters and stealth. Milo was the first one to run up to the group. He flung himself into his wife's arms, panting and clinging on to her for dear life.

Kida peeled him off her and looked him in the eye. "What is wrong? What happened?"

"It…it is-s Belle." He gulped for some air. "She took the…potion to…sav-ve us."

"What potion?"

"The one that turns her…into a…Beast. It was meant for Adam, but she drunk it. Now she is stuck in there with a leader and God-knows-how many guards."

Kida looked up towards the jet where yet another booming roar resounded out of it. By this time all of the group, expect Belle. Even Adam, visibly destressed from the event that occurred found his way reluctantly from his wife to them. He knew what it is like to first transform into a beast. It is a time when you wish, especially your loved ones, to stay away from you. But he knew that her being there was not enough. She would surely die if she had no back up.

"Alright then." Kida broke the silence. "Half of us stay behind to help Belle and the rest of us go and help Shuri. But we better do it quick, before the others get over their stunned phase. Fighters stay back to help Belle; stealth come with me to Shuri. And those who are logistics, find reception and get back online. We need to contact Ariel before it is too late."

The logistics team nodded in relief at the fact that they didn't have to join the fight. They knew where they were suited, and the battlefield was not one of them. They ran off in pairs to different corners of the mountains in hope that the spread would make it easier to contact HQ.

Kida and Okoye turned to the group. Okoye signalled the fighters to follow her while the rest automatically followed Kida. Both groups were exhausted from the fight and would do anything to stop the enemies to take over the rest of the world.

XXX

Elsa hit the floor, the bottle of Rapunzel's elixir of life rolling out of her hand and barely missing the rock where Shuri hit her head. Elsa scrambled off of the floor to where it lay. She reached out to snatch it, but a bony hand grabbed it before she could even blink.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The voice said from behind her. Elsa felt her heart drop in her chest. "The snow Queen saving the little Princess, how sweet."

Elsa pushed herself onto her feet. She was a tall normally but the height of the skeleton dwarfed her completely. Adrenaline rushed through her blood, picking up her heart rate. Just the thought of the massive creature in front of her intimidated her completely, but she could not let it show.

The only way to get through is if she just let it go.

"Tell me," she tried to keep the trembling out of her voice, "does bones and ice mix very well?"

She did not allow another second for him to reply before she took a breath in and let it out from her hands.

A stream of ice poured out and straight at Malikai. It took him by surprise at this sudden turn of events. He instinctively rose his hands to create a shield around him to deflect the blast, but it was no use; the ice hit him, first freezing his rags, then his feet up to his deformed skull. His bones began to crack at the joints from the expanding ice. Thin fractures made their way down his forearm and across his ribs. Before anyone knew it, he was completely frozen in time.

Elsa calmly brushed her hands off, took the potion from the frozen fingers and turned to her friend, who looked close to Death's door. She popped open the lid and rushed to her patient.

"Just a drop of this is all it is gonna take…" She said as she tipped the bottle. It was at that very moment, she heard the ungodly noise of the ritual finishing.

There, behind her, was the Traveller with his arms stretched out, summoning the great Genie, his love, to his side again. Thin wisps of grey smoke drifted up from around them as the earth started to shake.

They had not gotten there in time.


	24. Uncommon Ground

Shuri woke up to a world surrounded in smoke and fire, the earth underneath her trembled with a force. Elsa froze stock still, facing away from her.

"What in Bast's name is going on…?" Shuri asked as she pushed herself up. Elsa ignored her, continuing to look straight ahead at the crazy scenario facing her.

In the centre was The Traveller. The wind whipped around him, yet he stayed unmoving. Not even the edge of his robes shifted in the gust. Even if he did notice the wind around him, it wouldn't have bothered him. His sole focus was on the giant being in front of him. Shuri knew without a doubt that this was the Mysterious, Mystical Genie that had been the focus of the journey. However, he did not look like what she always believed Jinn to look like.

His skin was like an emerald that had been polished to perfection. His hair, tied back into a thick dark pony tail hanging down his back; his eyes, a vibrant red and angry. The only pieces of clothing on him was a jewel-encrusted waist-coat, covered in a thousand years of black soil and his pants torn and disintegrated from laying under the deep ground.

A loud laugh resounded throughout the valley from the Traveller as the last of the Genie rose to the top of the ground. He had finally, after thousands of years of searching and hard-work, he had been able to re-join once again with the only person he truly loved.

"I DID IT! I TRULY DID IT!" The Traveller exclaimed. He fell on his knees in front of the giant, who looked around in bewilderment. "I am down here, my love! I am here at last!"

The Genie looked down at the man with pleading eyes and wringing hands. The moment of confusion went when a loud booming voice said, "Jameel?" There was slight emotion in his voice. The violent shaking of the earth came to a stop, throwing Elsa and Shuri forward onto the rough ground in front of them.

Tears came to the eyes of The Traveller, Jameel, when he heard his real name. It was the first time since his Mother died had he heard that very name on someone's lips. And it felt good to hear it ring through his ears, to have a mundane name that he grew up with. It was like he was back into his past life, where he was just a simple boy seeking adventure, instead of a myth, a legend, one which is popular, but causes a bit of his humanity to die away at each reading of the story. Now he was as if he was human again, with a future, one that brought him pleasure, not insanity. He found his whole once more.

His love closed his eyes and lifted up his arms. A thousand sparks and a puff of smoke later, he was not towering over them. Shuri and Elsa looked at each other in bemusement.

"Where did he go?" Elsa asked as she dusted herself off, reaching her hand to Shuri. Shuri accepted it and pulled herself up.

"I have no idea." She happened to look down at the remains of Malikai at her feet. She jumped at the sight of the heaped bones crystallised at her feet. The horrific face of the skeleton looked back at her with, feeling it's stare bore through her chest. It didn't even have eyes, but the sight of it was enough to remind her of what happened before she hit her head on the rock.

Elsa put an unusually warm hand on her shoulder, causing yet another fright. "I hope this is the last time that we have to face…this…" She shivered at the thought of it. "I can deal with backstabbing fiancés and snow monsters, but this is where I draw the line."

She hit it with another spike of ice right in the middle of where it's forehead should have been. The skull cracked open and diminished into flakes of dust, back into the earth where it should have been a long time ago.

A cackle from where Jameel stood snapped both of the girl's heads up in an instant. He was not alone, it seems.

In front of him was a miniscule version of the Genie, shrunken down to human size to communicate with Jameel better. They were hugging tightly when the Genie lifted his gaze to the both of them. He cocked his eyebrow at the fact that they instinctively lifted their forms of defence towards the couple.

Genie pulled back and muttered something to Jameel. He faced them as well, the joy gone from his face, only anger boiling up.

"I thought Malikai dealt with you." He spat. "But as I see, he really is a lazy worthless heap of bones. If you want something done, you have to do it yourself." He began to storm towards them, grapping a silver, shimmering sword off from a counter of a table nearby him."

"Jameel?" The Genie shouted, confusion crossed his face. He trailed after his lover grabbing him tightly by the shoulder. "What are you doing?"

Jameel shrugged him off. "I am doing something that I have to do. They want to tear our love apart. They wanted me to stop you from being brought back into life. I am not going to let someone get in the way of our happiness again."

Genie stood back for a split second as Jameel charged off in the girl's direction.

"You think those pitiful powers are going to save you? Well think again." He spoke a strange line of an ancient language to the sword. It lit up in front of their eyes, the silver changing into full on blinding gold. "This can cut through anything. Even your so called 'most powerful metal' Vibranium cannot hold it back."

Shuri and Elsa readied themselves for the attack, but they both knew deep in their hearts that they were not going to make it. They would never say it out loud, because saying it meant it had to be true, and as long as they still breathed air, they would not back down to what faced them.

Shuri expected them to through projectiles, barely putting a scratch on him, until they ran out and the Traveller would counter strike back with his sword and conquer the world. At least they would go down fighting.

Just before Elsa threw the first punch, a loud scream from beside them called out "STOP!" They turned their heads to face the direction of the interruption to be faced with the sprinting figure of the Genie. He threw himself between them to stop any fighting that would begin.

"My Love, what are you doing?" Jameel asked as he dropped his arm.

"No, the question is what are _you_ doing?" He replied.

"I told you. I am protecting ourselves and causing revenge on those who want it destroyed."

Genie sighed, "This is not you, Jameel. The one I fell in love with, would never hurt a fly, never mind causing destruction at my birthplace. What has happened?" There was a sadness that rose up his throat. "What has happened to that man?"

"He grew up and discovered the world was filled with selfish men who caused hate more than love. My family killed the both of us, and we did nothing to deserve it. I want to get back at those who did the same things to us again.

Shuri felt her blood boil in her veins. "What was our crime then? We were only here because you have endangered millions of lives for just one dead one. We came here to stop you doing the same thing that your family did."

Jameel whipped around to face Shuri. She stood her ground proudly, but underneath her strength, she felt her heart nearly exploding. He opened up his mouth to say something but the Genie stopped him. The Genie grasped his shoulders tightly and looked in his eyes.

"What exactly did you do to find me?" He growled.

"I found the Jewels."

"Liar!" He shouted back. "Tell me the whole truth."

Jameel gulped as he felt the crushing force of his lover's hands. In a small voice he said, "I had to beat Death, take over his army of souls into individual vessels to spread out and find the Jewels. Some lives were lost in that fight due to some incompetent followers, and of course if they didn't come it would have gone smoothly."

"Don't. Blame. Them. For. Your. Foolishness." Genie said through gritted teeth. Jameel felt extremely scared. "And what is this whole taking the world idea? Who exactly do you plan to take revenge on? Those who happened to be born from your brothers? They who had nothing to do with their sins."

"But I need…"

"No, you don't 'need'." The Genie said. "You want. Do you know why there are angry spirits? They happened to be in the veil between life and death, some call it Purgatory. The longer the indecision goes on, the longer the soul deteriorates and becomes angry, filled with negative emotions that no normal person could, should hold. You see your friend over there," he nodded his head towards the brittle skeleton. "That is what happens when one stays in their human form for too long. Give you a few decades more and your skin would turn to dust just as he has. And do you want that?"

Before he could answer a _shling_ sound of an arrow flew past them right into the neck of the Genie. He had time to turn around and see the faces of the fighters before collapsing onto the ground.

XXX

 ** _I just want to thank TheThings YouTube channel for calling me a talented writer and for this story to be a must read. This is also on my Wattpad Profile, but there are not as many stories as there is on here._**

 ** _I can't believe that this has happened to me. I also want to thank the Guest to bring the video to my attention in the first place! It feels amazing!_**


	25. The Kiss of Death

"MY LOVE!" His dreadful cry pierced through the night sky. There was not other noise, not even from the new arrivals. They looked at each other in confusion when they saw that Elsa and Shuri were frozen still. Jameel grabbed the Genie and gently laid him onto the ground.

Merida, the one who fired the arrow, was the only one not bothered by the sudden silence. She tore through the group, flinging the arrowless bow to the side and pulled out a sharp knife. With a battle cry she ran towards the two men in a final embrace.

Merida readied her throwing knife aimed at the Jameel, ready to throw it, but Shuri held out her hand in front of the Scottish princess.

"What're yeh doin'?" Merida skidded to a stop, her knife a hairsbreadth from Shuri's arm. "He is righ' there."

"Just shut up." Elsa said. She felt a tear forming in her eye. The Genie never wanted this; Jameel went through many years of pain and sorrow, just for his goal to be taken away at the last minute. The trials he went through was all for nothing.

A wet cough broke the silence. The Genie lifted his head with the last bit of energy.

"My love." His voice was barely a whisper. Jameel clutched him harder; the tears in his eyes dripping down his nose and onto the Genie's face.

"Please." There was only desperation in his voice. "Please don't go. Not again."

Genie's fingers intertwined with Jameel's and looked him in the eye. "You don't understand. I never left. I was always here." He moved their hands over Jameel's heart.

"No!" He shook his head. "No, please stay with me!"

"We can stay together you know…" There was a sparkle in his eye. "You and me. My physical form was here, but our spirits were meant to be as one. I never crossed over without you…not properly. Now it is time we shall be together without pain and hurt."

Jameel dropped his head, and his hand dropped down. Genie's last bit of strength went to his love's cheek.

"You know what is the right thing to do. Release Death, let him take us both. Revert all those souls back to where they belong and let those people back to their friends and families. The Jameel I once knew would do that."

And with that, the last light in his eyes went. Jameel allowed the tears to flow freely. He looked over towards the group who gathered to watch the scene unfolding in front of them. With a breath or two he pushed himself off of the ground, his head held high. He held his sword next to him gripping the handle tightly and looked up at Merida. There was just a dead look in his eyes, all emotion gone.

Merida felt fear rushing through her. Her sweaty palms could not keep the knife in her hands for much longer.

Jameel stormed towards her, focusing only on her, and pointed the blade in her direction. The fighters, Elsa and Shuri moved together as a cluster to protect their friend, but it turned out that was unnecessary.

The Traveller stopped before her, lowing his sword. With a flip, he held out the handle to her. He knelt in front of them with a bowed head. Merida looked at it with bemusement.

"Brave maiden, you have love in your heart and passion in your veins. You brought me to my senses through your action, and your friends allowed no hate to over shadow their hearts. In order for the balance of the universe to be stable, you must release Death of his bonds, and my bond to him."

"So yeh want me to stab yeh?"

He nodded his head. "It is the only way."

Merida looked to her friends, all who gave her a nod of agreement. She took the sword without qualms and aimed it at Jameel. With a quick thrust, a quick puff of golden smoke replaced the body. It rose to the air, taking the form of the man. The Genie's spirit rose from his body and met with the golden spirit.

They both turned their heads with a grateful smile on their wispy faces, before a sudden beam of light shot out from their spirits and across the land.

XXX

"They just keep coming!" Snow shouted as he watched the gathering bodies at the foot of the hill.

"Well I have only two hands now!" Milo shouted back, "Unless you want to stop staring at the horizon and help me, this can go a lot quicker."

Snow White was about to reply when a sudden flash of light appeared in the distance, accompanied by a loud boom. She shielded her eyes from the light.

"What the…"

She was interrupted again from the blast of the light. It flung her and Milo off of their feet, knocking them out for only a second.

When they came to, the sounds they heard were not of the growls from the spirits, but the chattering of confused humans.

XXX

Far away in the land of Wakanda, two guards patrolled the outside of the building.

"Do you think it is done?" One asked as they passed a jet port. It was antsy, nervously jumping from foot to foot.

"It will be done when it is done." The other, harsher one said. "The Master will call us when he is finished. Stop fretting."

"I can't stop. I just have this very bad feeling inside of me."

"You are dead, you do not have feelings." The other sighed as they stopped at a door.

"No, not like emotion feelings. Like something bad is about to happen."

A dry chuckle left the vessel's mouth. "You are obviously new. All things are safely in his hands."

"Alright, but then explain why there is Death's breath flying towards us at a thousand miles per hour!"

They both turned, like the rest of Wakanda, to the gelded light of Death rolling through the great force shield protecting the land.

The two guards screamed as they ran through the building, hoping to save themselves, but it was fruitless: nothing escapes Death.

XXX

The sun rose over the pink rocks of the Auras Mountains. All was silent when the last of the mist disappeared. The villagers' below came out of the shelter of their homes to see that they were safe from whatever was terrorising the mountains. They rejoiced at their safety. Each hugged, kissed, and danced with one another to the sound of cheers of happiness.

XXX

"So that was anticlimactic." Shuri said after ten minutes of silence. "I was expecting a boss battle or something exciting."

Elsa raised her eyebrows. "You mean nearly dying multiple times was not enough for you?"

"Uh…no. Have you seen the movies? No one wants to watch a scene where love saves the day. They want a fight."

"Shuri, it is not like someone is reading our story. Most things end with a happy ending."

"Alright, but if anyone asks, we took down a giant being and his lover in an amazing battle of the wits and skill."

There was laughter all around at the statement. For the first time in a long time, or what felt like a long time, Shuri allowed herself to relax. There was no immediate threat amongst them. If everything went according to plan, her home was free. Her mother and brother were safe and to their normal selves. Everything was going right for the first time in forever.

Or so she thought.

"Guys, where is Belle?" Shuri asked.

A panic-stricken look crossed all of their faces. Without another word they sprinted towards the jet, leaving a confused Elsa and Shuri behind.

XXX

 ** _I am very nearly done. I hope the chapter was not too graphic in anyway._**


	26. Gender Swap

_Ten minutes before: The Jet_

It was first a bubbling sensation inside Belle's stomach. Nothing more than that uncomfortable feeling when you drink sparking water too quickly. Adam looked over her, his stomach twisting into another, harsher feeling. He remembered the very day when he was cursed. It was Christmas. His parents had both left the Kingdom for the month, not knowing that they would never come back. Ever. His servants, now friends were showing him with gifts from all four corners of the Earth, not caring that they spent their last pennies on a beautifully gelded books from Agrabah, or a soft faux fur coat from Arendelle. He was way too angst up on the fact that the King and Queen would rather spend a December away at the horrible Southern Isles where if you sneezed outside your snot would freeze, than to stay home with their only son to enjoy Christmas without distractions.

He remembered when the old beggar woman knocked on his door, asking for just a warm place to stay for Christmas. His anger at his parents, and the selfishness he was brought up on forced his hand to slam the door on the poor lady. Cogsworth made him to open the door and try to teach him manners but it came to no avail.

The Enchantress reveled her true form, knowing only the underlying emotions in his heart. His transformation was instant, but painful. His whole body went though complete changes outside and only later when he learned true love, inside as well.

But Belle was slow to the transformation. He was close to being relieved that it didn't work; he would rather die with his wife than her to live as a social outcast for the rest of her life.

"Maybe it doesn't…"

He heard the cackling from the Mistress behind them.

"You really think that a little bit of syrup will save you from your ultimate fate that Death will serve you? Both of you are meant to be dead. You dying from a stab wound, her dying from terminal disease…"

"That you gave to her!" Adam hissed.

She just grinned, "No hon, I just started the chain of events. She was the one who grew sick. Anyway, I really enjoyed this little reunion but I have a world to take over, people to possess, plants to stomp on, yah know the same old boring stuff." She exaggerated a bowed before turning on her heel. When she took her first step away, when a bright light emitted from Belle.

The bubbling in her stomach dissipated, travelling down the rest of her limbs and resting at her fingertips and toes.

It was her legs that changed first. Her knees bent, sprouting rough black hair from the elongating limbs. Her arms stretched out beside her torso, hands changing from feminine, slender fingers, to giant paws. The potion ran up and into the rest of her body. Her torso expanded, kept in barely by her Vibranium suit. The halo of her hair broke through the ribbon, expanding more and more behind her head, creating a giant mane surrounding her face. Horns stretched from the tip-top and nearly impaled Adam. A last bit of instinct made him drop his wife on the floor. He continued to look on in horror of the last, most drastic change. Her human features changed from the beauty that everyone fell in love with, to a raw-pink snout, a wider mouth with fangs protruding from her bottom jaw. Her face contorted in pain, hair continue to grow more and more.

The light finally dimmed down to the final product in front of them. A female Beast. She looked exactly like him, but she had no tail to speak of.

"Oh my…" The Mistress of Darkness was dumbfounded at the transformation that took place in front of her. She only knew of one person who could do that, and that was her sister…

There was no time to think when a massive roar resounded throughout the jet. It was deep and strong, something that Adam had way too many memories about.

The other spirits backed away, knowing where their bread was buttered and how to value their undead lives. Mistress screamed at them to come back this instant, threatening them with empty threats.

Adam backed away slowly. He knew the mind behind the brawn; he knew the workings, the intricate details behind the imposing figure. He knew to stay away at all costs, not matter how familiar you are with the Beast.

Belle rose to her new full height, claws out and prepared to fight tooth and nail of possible. The suit constricted her new body and out of frustration she tore the zip keeping it together, leaving only her torn underclothes to cover her.

"You!" Her voice boomed, finger pointing accusingly at the body of Wayland. "You are the one who made me this way! You are the one who now must pay!"

"I-I-I…I don't don't know what you are talking-ng about?" The spirit stuttered as she paced back. A very few things scared her in life, but the Enchantress's magic was one of them. It doesn't matter if it was not exactly from her hands; what matters is that she will be physically gone from this realm if her sister realises the new anomaly in the world that she didn't create. The blame would be put on her immediately and she would come there to kick her butt out of the vessel and into one of her pet worms.

"YOU ARE THE ONE WHO DESTROYED MY LIFE FOR A YEAR. I COULD HAVE HAD A NORMAL LIFE BUT YOU RUINED IT! RUINED IT!" Belle paced forward in time with the Mistress's pace.

"Remember, uh, remember that you can kill the real person in here. You don't want to be responsible for her death now, right?"

"I won't kill you." Belle said, her voice lowered in volume. There was a sigh of relief from the spirit. "But I will damage you enough to make you wish that you were dead."

Adam hopped up instantly. This would be the tipping point between where she could easily go off of the way down the rabbit hole. With a poke of Belle's fingers, she could easily kill Dr Wayland's body without meaning harm to Dr Wayland herself. Just one touch would mean life and death.

"Stop!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Belle flicked her head towards him instantly. Her once human face was replaced by an ugly scold. Her once kind, hazel eyes were replaced with soulless black holes. A little bit of bile rose up his throat when he saw what he had been for those ten years. The exact face. The exact expression. The exact body language.

There was no way he could stop her while the other was there. If she is calmed down, then the Mistress would take that to her advantage. He needed to get the others to help them if everything becomes pear-shaped. He needed back-up.

Without a second thought, he sprinted past them to alert the others of the group.

XXX

Belle's personality changed within a snap. Becoming is more than a cosmetic change, it is an emotional one as well. It amplifies the negative emotions that one had already had in their soul. Like Adam, becoming the Beast emphasised violence and anger, as well as selfishness. Belle becoming the Beast meant that her maternal feelings disappeared under the increased resentment and hatefulness of the spirit in front of her. Her mind forgot about the message of peace and love and the fact that the real Dr Wayland was still there. She just saw a target that needed to be taken care of. She did not even register the pitiful emotion within Adam's voice when he called out to her. He was not her husband, but rather an obstacle against her objective. Even though she was still Belle under the fur, her emotions had tweaked against her.

"It looks like it is just you and me." She whispered as she raised her fist for the first punch.


	27. When the Sun Rises

_Now_

The group sprinted to where the jet lay. On the outside there was just dust covering it, but inside was a complete train wreck. Chairs were torn, metal scattered everywhere, and a heap of rubble centred at the middle of the room. Debris covered the floor, only form of humanity was the limp hand laying on the floor, pale.

"Oh, my God! Belle!" Adam screamed. He sprinted to the debris heap, skidded to his knees and started to dig through the rubble. The rest of the group were shell-shocked, half of them believed his attempts were futile, while others had a small shot of hope in their hearts, but none of them wanted to test the theory of 'Ignorance is bliss'.

Metal flew through the air as he dug further into the wreckage. Shang ducked as a metal disk flew towards his face. Elsa froze a jar of some sort of explosive liquid before it hit the wall. She did a barrel roll, and caught it before it made contact with the ground.

A dry cough was heard from the pile. Those who had doubt in their hearts, felt a slight feel of hope lifting throughout their bodies.

Adam shuffled the last of the dust away only to be faced with a scarred, wrinkled body of Dr Wayland…the real Dr Wayland. The maliciousness that once sparkled in her eyes were replaced with the pale periwinkle blue that Adam grew up with.

The air dampened with disappointment as the French prince helped her up from the debris, she continued with the dry cough, turning into a deep reaching as she stumbled on her feet. Moana gathered a small bit of water in the air and sent it over to the old doctor. She gratefully sipped the floating liquid to sedate her dust dry throat.

"Where is Belle?" Was the first thing Adam asked.

"Well, thank you Master for asking about my health, I do feel a little poorly but I feel better after having a malevolent spirit controlling me like a puppet master for over a year while I watched the Mistress dying of heartbreak."

"Well, at least we know that good ol' Wayland is back." Tiana said from the back of the crowd. Tiana had a few run ins with the doctor, who consistently reminded her that eating the delicious fried food will be the cause of an early death.

Adam gave her a serious stare. Dr Wayland rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Madam Belle…she is alive." Another sigh of relief flooded the room. "But after she had beaten the brains out of me, or the so-called Mistress of Darkness, close to killing me, a wave of electricity hit me back on the floor, while the Madam Belle scuttled away in fright as the rubble fell around me. The electrical wave must have been at a frequency that she could only hear, and it was too loud for her. So, yeah, she may not have been killed by the spirit, but she ain't here."

Adam sighed in frustration, running his fingers through his sweat-soaked hair.

"For everything good and holy, she could be anywhere. She could be bleeding out somewhere and I can't find her! We need to split up immediately to find her."

He tried to push through the group, but Shuri grabbed him before he went on an insane rampage.

"Whoa, tiger, easy." She pulled him in front of her. "Take it easy. Panicking is only going to make it worse. She couldn't have gotten far, the electrical storm stopped a few minutes ago. We are all exhausted. I am going to contact Milo to get a survey of the land, and get Snow to cancelled the attack from Arendelle. We need to get some transport to take these poor people home. This heap of junk is not going to get us far…ok."

Adam, jaw clenched, and neck taut, stiffly nodded. Shuri gently released his arm, trusting him to not rush off into the desert on a suicide mission.

"Ok," she nodded. "Kida, contact your husband on the change of plans. Just check that all systems are online before pressing buttons."

"On it!" Kida replied as she rushed to the broken console.

Shuri turned to the rest of the group. "Take a few minutes to rest. Moana can provide some water if you need it. The sun is going to rise and it can get very hot if not put in cover. Find all of the people, and someone scope out the town to make sure that they are alright."

The group scattered in different directions. Some of the princesses took a few minutes for a breather and a drop of water. Some of them took the golden potion to heal any life changing wounds, like Pocahontas who managed to have survived that long with a broken leg, and internal bleeding. Some like Kristoff and Anna took their potions to see if any of the injured, pre-possessed people needed some medical help. Okoye and Mulan took the opportunity to sit with each other and to discuss the battle, and agreed that if any other fight was brewing, the other was to be the first to hear about it. Shuri smiled at the fact that Okoye finally had a proper friend. Okoye was a family member to her, a protector in Wakanda. She had W'Kabi, but that was the extent of her close relationships. Mulan understood her; they were on the same wavelength.

"What are you going to do, Shuri?" A voice said behind her.

Shuri turned around to see Elsa handing an ice brick, wrapped in a dirty cloth to Eugene, who had a blooming bruise across his eye.

"I am going to contact Wakanda."

XXX

T'Challa felt the spirit finally exiting his body, burning away into he hoped damnation where it belonged. He collapsed on the floor of his room, gasping for air. It felt like he had lived the past few days underwater without taking a breath.

He could hear the whole of Wakanda doing the same thing. Guards posted around his room and across the building resounded a thump on the hard floor. There was an awkward silence before a cheer of relief rang across his land.

Ten minutes later after pulling himself into his soft bed for a rest, his mother rushed into his room, holding up a communicator. With his tired eyes, he could barely see through his blurred vision.

"My son! Get up now! We have good news!" Queen Ramonda pulled a chair up next to his bed.

The communicator showed a low, static picture of a girl. The girl formed into a solid figure of his sister.

"Shuri!" He exclaimed.

She grinned. "Missed me, brother? I never knew I was so special."

T'Challa gaped, not believing who he was seeing. The last time he saw her was when she and her friends barely escaped the spirit army.

"I take your silence as a praise for my amazingness. Guess who led a ragtag group of princesses and princess against a giant being and won, thus saving the whole world?" She barely waited for him to respond. "That's right I did! You little sister is actually an amazing badass who saved the Earth from the Apocalypse. Who would have ever known?"

"Are you hurt? What happened?" Her brother rose in the bed a bit.

She shook her head. "I fine, all of us survived. I nearly died…"

"What!?" Both of her family members exclaimed.

"Well, T'Challa made it look so fun, I knew I had to just try it myself. Anyway, I will tell you the whole story when I get home, which will be in a day or two, unless you want to join us on a celebratory feast back in Arendelle. I could introduce you to my new friends."

"And here I thought you didn't like girls who painted their nails while sipping pinacolatos."

Shuri laughed, "I quickly learned that they are willing to chip their nails and use Molotov cocktails as a choice of liquid."

There was a sudden static noise sounding from behind Shuri. It sounded like a flurry of noises and movement. Shuri turned her face to an invisible person, with wide eyes and a giant smile.

"…really! She has been found…Yes I will come right now…"

She faced T'Challa and the Queen again. "I have to go. Something amazing has come up. Promise me that you come on Sunday."

Before he could say another word, the face disappeared into oblivion.


	28. The End

After getting off the communicator with her family, she rushed off with Elsa and Adam to where Belle had been spotted.

After everyone was notified, it took only a few minutes for Milo to pinpoint exactly where Belle had landed up. It was good timing to because within the next few hours, fleets deployed from the nearest ally base had already continued on their way. South Africa had offered to join Wakanda in a sign of good faith after the whole debacle with Klaw. They promised that if there was anything they could help with, they would help. They were on their way, taking the post-possessed people back to the major cities in the country to get processed. No IDs were on each of the people, some it was speculated that the human bodies had been possessed for over a century already.

Ariel's jets were a half a day away, since she did not have a faster fleet. Shuri wandered if she should have asked T'Challa to send some of the jets their way, but the people of Wakanda needed to have a break from this business. They were never meant to be a part of it.

It was barely a ten-minute walk from where their base was. She was curled up in foetal position, legs bunched up to her chest. Her hair was splayed around her head like a halo. Her human body was back, the only remints of her beast body was the torn underclothes she was wearing. Her midriff was showing, nasty scratches stretched across the expanse of her body. The white linin of the skirt and undershirt was stained with blood and dirt. Her chest lifted and relaxed with every shallow breath that she took.

"Belle!" Adam exclaimed as he ran to her limp body. He knelt down to turn her on her back and lift her onto his lap. He was relieved that she was human again, but the question was…how? The last time his enchantment was lifted, maybe it worn-off with her.

A dry cough was heard from his wife. All hearts lifted in unison at the sight of the recovered girl. Adam brushed her sweaty hair away from her face to see it better. That was where he saw it.

Near her hairline a light outline of the enchanted rose, rust-brown in colour. His heart thumped. The curse did not wear off as he thought; she like him, had her curse lifted by the same person, the same being that lifted his. He wondered why she would come all over here and help his wife.

Little did he know that there was a bigger reason than him, than Belle why she had come back. Well, what did you expect? Nothing can be larger than a fight between siblings? She just had to clean up the mess that her little sister had made.

Adam hugged his wife tightly as she opened her eyes. Belle didn't remember much being in that body, but she remembered the smiling face of an angel putting her into a much-needed rest.

XXX

 _Sunday that week_

Shuri bounced on the balls of her feet as she watched the guests arriving for the celebratory feast from the tower. Men and women from different cultures and different religions all arrived to the Palace in gorgeous evening gowns and smart top hats. In the harbour she could see Ariel's family and friends frolicking in the water. Trident created beautiful water works for all of Arendelle to see. Moana was also there. She welcomed her tribe into the town. Both princesses were bonding over their love of the sea and each family welcomed the other with open arms.

In the courtyard, Anne and Kristoff welcomed the guests eagerly, giving them warm smiles and hearty hugs. Some she could see were families of the members or of the younger members. She was pretty sure that Trident's family and Hercules's family were the same. She was pretty sure that was what she remembered from her mythology lessons.

It may have been early light, but she was dying to see her family there. Especially after the week she had. Besides being fighting a genie and saving the world, she had to plan a ball. A ball! It was fine though. Belle and Kida were there by her side.

Belle did not talk about the day nor what happened. She believed in letting it go and enjoying that she was alive and given a month or two, a baby would be brought by the stork. It was Kida's last day. She promised that she would visit regularly, but her country was currently run by her idiot best friend and she couldn't delay it for love nor money.

For the rest of the princesses, she couldn't say. Some stayed, others went. The Jewels went back to Agrabah the minute they landed on solid ground. This time they would instead being kept for years, were going to be destroyed in a ceremony. They were not ready for another world invasion yet.

"Looks good right?" A voice said behind her.

Shuri twisted around to see the Ice Queen with her arms crossed and a grin on her face.

"Yes, it really is." Shuri turned back to face the town. There was a bit of sadness in her voice.

"Your family will come, I promise." Elsa put her hand on Shuri's shoulder. She didn't shrug it off. Ironically it felt warm.

"I know they will, but it is taking so long." Shuri said.

"Why don't I take your mind off it for a minute?"

Shuri shrugged her shoulders.

"Well ever since the battle we have been receiving about a thousand different requests to join DISNEY. Some from non-royal families, like the Parr family. I heard from the American government that they had been hiding an experimental programme that created superheroes. Apparently back in the fifties they made a huge stuff up and had to make them under ground, but with the rise of all of these heroes, they are popping out of the woodwork. We are thinking having a special programme here to help these special people find a place…"

Elsa prattled on, but Shuri wasn't listening. She desperately wanted her brother and mother there with her. Okoye, not matter how much she enjoyed Mulan, was also wanted to go back to their homeland.

Suddenly Shuri's bracelet beeped. Elsa shup up to look at what new event had come up.

Her brother's face popped up with serious face.

"Shuri you need to get back to Wakanda! Now!"

"What is going on?"

"We have received news that there is a big battle coming to Wakanda. One involving more rocks."

"On it!" Shuri nodded. She turned to Elsa, who looked at her.

"I don't suppose you want some fire support?" She smiled.

Shuri smiled back. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

 _ **XXX**_

 ** _The End! I hope you loved it my bokkies! Comment is a sequel is in order._**

 ** _Love from thecapefangirl_**


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